Administrators

ISB Head of School - Thomas Hawkins

Prior to his appointment as ISB's Head of School, Tom served as ISB's High School Principal for three years. Earlier in his career, he was HS/MS Principal at the International School of Stavanger in Norway and the High School Principal at the Tarsus American School in Turkey. A native of Minnesota, he graduated from the University of St Thomas and earned a Masters Degree and Ed.D from the University of Minnesota. Tom’s wife teaches in the High School English department and he has four children at ISB.

High School Principal - Rodney Fagg

Rod comes from Adelaide, South Australia, where he taught High School mathematics in public and private schools prior to moving to international education. Before joining ISB he taught mathematics and served as head of high school mathematics at International School Manila.

Rod served as ISB's Assistant High School Principal from 2003-2005. He received his Master of Education Degree (Educational Leadership and Administration) from Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.

High School Assistant Principal - Lorraine Wicks

Lorraine comes from Bristol, England, although she took her undergraduate degree in Aberdeen, Scotland. In a twenty two year career in International education, she has worked in London, Lesotho in Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Finland and China. . Lorraine gained her teaching certification at London University. She has taught IB Biology and other Sciences, as well as serving as an IBDP coordinator for seven years in two previous schools. Lorraine’s MA in Education is from Bath University, UK. At ISB, Lorraine spent six years as the high school science head of department and became an IB Biology assistant examiner. She gained her administration credentials with the Principals’ Training Centre [PTC].

Lorraine is in Beijing with her husband Iain Carter, a middle school teacher, and their daughter Kathryn. She is still working on her Chinese skills.

Middle School Principal - Dale Cox

Dale Cox has spent the last 26 years in middle level education in the United States both as an administrator and a teacher of history and English. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in history and English and his master’s degree in educational administration from Arizona State University. In addition to his administrative work, Dale has served as president of the Mesa Association of School Administrators in Arizona and worked for many years in curriculum and teacher training. He was named secondary principal of the year by the Mesa Professional Educators Association in 2005. He also taught for 5 years as an adjunct faculty member of the University of Phoenix in the areas of curriculum development and teaching pedagogy. He joined the ISB staff in 2006. Prior to becoming an educator, he attended an international school in Asia and studied Chinese in Hong Kong. He is the father of six children, two of whom attend ISB.

Middle School Assistant Principal - Jack Raven

An educator with over thirty years of teaching experience (grades 1-12), this is Jack’s first year as the Middle School Assistant Principal. Prior to coming to ISB, he and Jill (his wife) spent nine years at the International School of Jeddah in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he became the Principal of the Elementary school (K-6). He received his Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia, Canada and his Masters of Education from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. Jack is currently finishing his Ph.D. dissertation, in Educational Leadership, from the University of Touro in New York, U.S.A. Over the span of his educational career, Jack has been actively involved in working collaboratively with teachers in promoting school reform and student academic improvement. He is a strong believer in facilitating the building of professional communities within a school where all stakeholders are empowered, enabled and entrusted. This year he served as an Action Team Leader (for Character Education) in developing ISB’s Strategic Plan. He is a member of the school’s Curriculum Council and co-chairs the Social Studies Curriculum Committee.

Upper Elementary School Principal - Gregory Smith

Greg Smith has been a principal for over fifteen years and is in his fourth year at ISB. Previous schools have included kindergarten to grade 10 Western Australian state schools. During his career as an educator he has taught across the elementary and middle school grades and as a specialist in Mathematics and Technology. Highlights of his career include being elected to the state’s Professional Association executive council where he edited the Association journal and acting as Director to a district of 30 schools overseeing curriculum and assessment. He completed his Masters Ed (Educational Leadership) at the Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. Greg’s professional interests include the study of organizational culture, assessment and evaluation, and teacher leadership. His personal interests focus on his family and education. He has a wife, Morven, who is also a teacher at ISB, and two children, Justine, studying at the University of Western Australia and Cameron, who currently attends ISB.

Upper Elementary School Assistant Principal - Chris Green

Chris comes from Melbourne, Australia and graduated from LaTrobe University in Melbourne. She completed her Master’s degree at the University of Edinburgh, UK. Chris has been at ISB for 12 years, teaching English, Social Studies and ESOL in the middle and upper elementary schools. More recently, she has been ISB’s accreditation facilitator and curriculum development co-ordinator. Prior to coming to ISB, Chris taught in Kuwait, the Sudan and Cambodia, as well as in her native Australia. Chris is in Beijing with her husband, Mick, who teaches economics in the high school.

Lower Elementary School Principal - Sandra Hite

Prior to coming to ISB, Sandra was the Lower School Principal/IBO Programme Articulator Administrator at the ACS Engham International School in London where she worked for five years in administrative positions. Sandra has additionally had 21 years of teaching experience in international and US schools. She completed her Master’s Degree at the University of Tulsa in Educational Learning Disabilities and Psychometry and has received Principal Certification in Administration from Leigh University. Sandra is passionate about the growth and development of students so that they find a purpose and value in their lives while being successful and happy. She is joined in Beijing by her husband, Shaun. They are looking forward to becoming part of the vibrant Beijing community and to traveling in Asia.

Chinese Program Principal - Theresa Chao

Theresa Chao is the Chinese Program Principal of ISB in charge of the Chinese Language Program and the China Link Office. A native Chinese with post-college education in the US, she was a Chinese teacher and math teacher for 16 years teaching in the US public schools system before joining ISB in 1998. Currently there are over 1,300 students taking Chinese as a foreign language in our K-12 Chinese program with 23 committed, professional Chinese teachers. China Link extends China studies and provides resources and assistances to all teachers, students and the greater ISB community. There are professional development opportunities for all teachers to strengthen their knowledge and skills about China and curriculum integration, including Chinese for Staff, ISB Beijing Link, the China Link Speakers series, book club recommendations, and Staff China Link outings, just to name a few.

Curriculum Director - Greg Curtis

Greg Curtis has been appointed Curriculum Director at the new Office of Teaching and Learning at the International School of Beijing, effective July 2008. Prior to this, Greg worked in a similar capacity at the Zurich International School and has served variously as an ICT director, curriculum designer/leader and teacher over the past 18 years abroad and in Canada. His areas of interest lie in Understanding by Design, curriculum mapping, and the use of technology as a catalyst and enabler for 21st century learning. Greg is joined in Beijing by his wife, Cindy (an EC4 teacher at ISB), and his two sons, Max and Ethan.

Staff Development Director - Jill Raven

Jill Raven has been appointed staff development director at the new Office of Teaching and Learning at the International School of Beijing, effective July 2008. Jill joined ISB in 2005 as the lower elementary school assistant principal and staff development facilitator. Before coming to Beijing, Jill spent nine years at the American International School of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as a teacher and curriculum and staff development coordinator. Prior to this she worked in the public school system in Canada. Jill has a Masters Degree from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia and is a National Staff Development Council Academy graduate. Her partner in her international adventures is her husband, Jack, ISB’s Assistant Middle School Principal.