Greetings from Sabah! Head of School News comes to you this week from the annual East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Leadership Conference where I am joined by ISKL leaders, administrators, and board members in meeting with peers from schools across our region to advance professional growth, learn from research and best practice, and strengthen networks between our schools. Attending a conference such as EARCOS enables us to engage in discussion and debate, develop ideas and build networks throughout the region. Continued learning, challenging the ways things are done, and looking at what we do (and how we do them) from a different perspective are critical to ongoing professional development and personal growth. It is an invigorating opportunity to learn and share ideas which can be implemented to benefit our students and school.

These learning attributes, which are integral to our approach (School-wide Learning Result; ‘Learn Enthusiastically), are about to become center stage when we welcome more than 200 students from 14 schools across Asia to ISKL for the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) Model United Nations (MUN) 2019 Conference. It is the first time ISKL will host the conference on our new campus, and we are excited to share our wonderful new home with students and families attending the conference from November 7-9, 2019. This is truly a community event and I thank all our ISKL families who are not simply ‘housing’ visiting students but welcoming them into their hearts and homes.

MUN is a wonderful example of empowering and encouraging young people to see the world from a different perspective, adopt an international mindset, and work collaboratively towards shared understanding and goals. The theme of this year’s conference, “Reaching for 2030” resonates with my passionate belief in the role of young people in building a better future. Its message is a powerful reminder that today’s students are tomorrow’s global leaders.

Isabella J., is a Grade 12 ISKL student and the IASAS MUN 2019 Secretary-General. In an editorial, Isabella explains on behalf of the IASAS MUN team, what the conference entails, its goals, and the behind-the-scenes work required to put on the event. I am so proud of the team and in awe of the leadership and logistical hard work required to prepare for the conference. I am very much looking forward to listening to the debates, ideas, and fresh perspectives of our students and those visiting from peer schools; I am inspired by their commitment to shaping a better world for us all.

Yours in collaboration and learning,

Rami Madani
Head of School