Dear AASSA Friends and Colleagues,
I extend to you a warm greeting and very best wishes from all of us at AASSA! Thank you for taking time to look through our 1st AASSA Newsletter of the 2020-2021 academic year.
We send a special “welcome” to the new AASSA Heads of School new to our region (see enclosed section). I extend a special invitation to all AASSA Heads of School to join in our weekly Thursday Latin American Heads Zoom calls.
AASSA’s MISSION is to enhance the quality of education in American/international member schools, and I believe our weekly calls are proving to be a wonderful opportunity for collaboration, sharing and learning together.
At AASSA, we have a VISION to be a vibrant, membership-driven learning organization promoting visionary leadership, innovative programs, and fiscally sustainable services. We are pleased to be offering many free professional development opportunities, free Zoom accounts to our members as well as no increases in our membership fees. These are just a few examples of the ways we are working to live out our vision. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to reflect and adapt to the significant challenges we all face.
Our core VALUES at AASSA have continued to guide our work to champion progressive learning in a safe and collaborative environment as being essential to bettering the world; and that respect, trust, and compassion generate positive relationships within a learning community. At AASSA we are proud to stand with our members serving students and families throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Thank you for taking time to read our Newsletter. As always, we encourage you to visit our blog and consider contributing if you have not done so recently.
One to think on…
“People learn better when they have a positive relationship with the person providing instruction…these student-centered practices are essential in any classroom, perhaps even more so in a virtual one.” (Fisher, Frey, and Hattie, 2021, p. 48).
Thank you again, and remember – We are better when we work together!
Best regards, Dr. Dereck H. Rhoads AASSA Executive Director
References:
Fisher, D., & Frey, N., Hattie, J. (2021). The Distance Learning Playbook Grades K-12. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.