Dear AISL Community,

I am very excited to be one week away from Nigerian Culture Day (NCD). Ever since I started interviewing for the position here at AISL, I have heard about NCD. Now, being here, I see the amount of preparation and excitement that goes into the occasion. From parents choosing the annual pattern; parents donating time to sell the fabric; staff, students, and parents planning, practicing, and preparing for a day that NEVER has enough time to feel 100% ready. I am sincerely looking forward to the dances, music, food, vendors, and most importantly, celebrating Nigerian together with all of you!

Shortly after Nigerian Culture Day, I will be joining school members from across the continent at the African International School Association (AISA) Annual Conference. This year it is in Rwanda. Topics include:

From Awareness to Action: Practical Strategies for Supporting the Profiles of Gifted, Students with Learning Challenges, and Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners

This session aims to develop educators' capacity to recognize and effectively respond to the unique needs of gifted, learning-challenged, and twice-exceptional students.

Strengthening Safeguarding with ICMEC Level 2 Deep Dive into Online Safety, Parent Engagement, and Student Voice

This deep dive provides actionable strategies for schools to engage their educators, families, and students to create a safer school environment by fostering a culture of proactive safeguarding, strengthening online safety measures, enhancing parental involvement in child protection, and empowering student voices in policy development and curriculum planning.

Bringing African Perspectives into Curriculum Design and Review

To integrate African perspectives into the curriculum design and review process, ensuring that educational content reflects the many cultural, historical, and social contexts of African communities.

The Business Model Playbook for Expanding and Enhancing Student Support

The workshop aims to share the Business Model Playbook with international schools across Africa.

Building Strong School Communities with Storytelling Rooted in the African Context

This deep dive aims to explore the power of storytelling as a foundation for service learning, community engagement, and building strong school communities.

Navigating School-Wide Crises: Strengthening Community Support in International Schools

This workshop aims to equip educators and counselors with the basic skills to provide effective, culturally responsive support during crises, promote student resilience, and maintain a school culture of care and emotional well-being.

Building Teen Resilience: Equipping International School Communities with Stress Tolerance Strategies

This session aims to equip international school staff with strategies to help teens understand the function of stress as a natural and necessary part of life—something for which one can prepare, rather than avoid.

Mindsets for Collective Growth and Resilience

The session aims to help school communities cultivate the mindsets and behaviors for a spirit of collective growth, resilience, and joy.

Building Great Leadership Teams in Schools

Cultivating the leadership practices that inspire and promote good followership.

Upon my return, I will follow up on the attached volunteer forms for two new cohorts that I call the AISL Parent Council and the AISL Faculty Council. The Council’s goal is to help me hear voices that want to assist with strategic, intentional changes at AISL. These are a small 5-7 member group of parent volunteers (Parent Council) and faculty volunteers (Faculty Council) that will independently meet with me every 3-4 weeks to discuss what concerns need to be addressed strategically. Conversations in the councils are not decisions, they are recommendations.  Councils exist for problem identification and resolution recommendations. Council members will serve an annual term. 

I have already shared this information at my Town Hall, but I will share the volunteer form here: 

AISL Parent Council Volunteer Form –form closes Wednesday, October 8, 2025

AISL Faculty Council Volunteer Form –form closes Wednesday, October 8, 2025

From AISL’s NCD to AISA’s Annual Conference in Rwanda, I feel privileged to learn and celebrate the country of Nigeria and the continent of Africa. I look forward to talking to you about all of it. 

With gratitude,

Dr. Dan Love

*There will not be a Superintendent Newsletter next week because I will be traveling.