Search Associates was well represented at the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) 2017 Fall Leadership Conference in Bangkok, Thailand on October 26th-28th by Senior Associates Barry Drake, Gez Hayden, Ralph Jahr, Nick Kendell and Brent Mutsch. The conference was successfully planned and executed under the leadership of the EARCOS Board of Trustees and the EARCOS team headed by Dick Krajczar, outgoing Executive Director.
The EARCOS Fall Leadership Conference once again provided professionals from across the region with the unique opportunity to learn and grow by attending a combination of preconference and plenary sessions followed by more than 150 workshops delivered by specialist speakers, EARCOS members and their affiliates. Additionally, a multitude of topics of interest provided opportunities to network with colleagues from across the region. Search Associates was happy to sponsor the closing reception on Saturday evening enjoyed by many who remained in attendance.
On the first day of the conference, keynote speaker Peter Dalglish, a Stanford-educated lawyer who traded in a promising legal career to work with some of the world’s poorest children in conflict zones that included Darfur, South Sudan and Afghanistan, urged conference attendees to see the importance of educating young people well beyond doing service to living a life that is indeed centered on service. Peter challenged members of the EARCOS community and beyond to recommit themselves to harnessing education as a force for good.
Friday began with a keynote from Simon Breakspear, internationally known for helping educational leaders navigate disruptive change, develop innovation capabilities, and drive continuous improvement for better learning. Simon’s remarks, entitled “Agile Leadership,” underscored the importance of leaders having the capacity to create progress despite complexity, ambiguity, and resistance. Simon spoke to the fact that schools across the world are under pressure to deliver on new and broader outcomes, to utilize evidence-based practices, and to create innovative new learning environments that prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
On Saturday, three exceptional leaders from the EARCOS region shared their personal stories from decades of dedicated and committed service to schools within the region. Thomas Farrell, Dick Robbins, and Chip Barder reflected upon their careers, their challenges, and their successes. Their remarks provided a very up close and personal set of powerful insights that left the audience both laughing and crying at the same time.
Each of our five Associates enjoyed meeting old friends, supporting administrative candidates regarding leadership positions, and forging new relationships that will serve the international community in positive ways in years ahead.
Search Associates also took advantage of a well-attended EARCOS Fall Leadership Conference to announce a new service for Search Associates member schools. APLi is an applicant management tool that allows schools to receive, manage and process applications through their own website portals. Search Associates will launch APLi in February as a value-added service to member schools, In addition to facilitating objectivity, incisiveness, and collaboration in member schools’ recruiting processes, APLi also benefits Search Associates candidates by allowing them to make school-based applications without duplicating effort and information--a seamless route to submitting a school-based application. Approximately 40 school leaders attended our APLi presentation, which was received with enthusiasm and anticipation.
Attendance at events like the 2017 EARCOS Fall Leadership Conference is a priority for Search Associates in order to assist our fundamental efforts to improve the quality of the student learning experience in each school with which Search Associates enjoys a collaborative partnership.
