"Having Co-Heads of School provides several opportunities for EIS. Firstly, we can harness the power of collaborative leadership by leveraging our different strengths, experiences, and perspectives to enhance decision-making and problem-solving. This model can foster innovative solutions and new approaches to school management and education, increasing the availability and accessibility of school leadership to the community,” explained Ben Armstrong, the recently-announced Co-Head of European International School (EIS). He will be working alongside Jo Roberts, a long-tenured EIS team member who will also serve as Co-Head of School. 

Jo Roberts (left) and Ben Armstrong (right).

Saigoneer sat down with the pair earlier this month to learn more about the leadership structure and how they will work together to maintain the school’s unique educational village while nurturing growth and new ideas. “Community is the glue of EIS and being a leader doesn’t mean you do everything; it means you surround yourself with and support those who can do certain things better than you can,” Jo shared.

Introducing Ben Armstrong

After 17 years in secondary education, including eight as a principal, Ben is excited to embrace the opportunity of being a Co-Head of School and Head of Middle and High. EIS’s sense of community and involved parents make it a particularly appealing school to be a part of. Ben has observed that keeping students and families closely connected to a school and each other becomes more difficult the older they become because they grow more independent with new opportunities available to them off-campus. One of his main goals as Head of Middle and High School will be to keep students active and engaged, which begins with students who are excited to come to school every day. When we spoke, he had just finished a coffee meeting with families whose children are transitioning into middle school and the feedback he got was overwhelmingly positive. “To hear them say ‘My child is happy at school.’ That's everything.”

How Jo Roberts Contributes to EIS’s Enduring Legacy

Jo’s experience and longstanding devotion are central to the school’s growth. “I've been an integral part of the school’s growth, and it's part of me as well. It's a family that's ever-changing and ever-evolving,” she said.  

After starting at EIS more than 10 years ago as a teacher, she moved on to Head of Early Years, then to Head of Early and Primary Years, to Deputy Head of School, and last year, Acting Head of School. Such investment has given her a comprehensive knowledge of what makes the school so successful and allowed her to grow alongside not only the school but also the families. She noted with pride how some of the current Middle and High School students began their educational journey in her classroom.

Nurturing an Educational Village

During Jo’s time at EIS, the school has more than doubled in size. One thing she is most proud of is that its unique educational village atmosphere has remained during its growth. “Several years ago, the community was quite worried that as we got bigger we'd lose that sense of community and belonging. And so, we've worked very hard to maintain it and make it even better,” she said.

While the word European in the school’s name nods to the diverse backgrounds of its staff, its legacy as a German school, and its wide offerings of foreign languages that include French, German, and Spanish, what differentiates EIS most is its educational village vibe. The special atmosphere is established, in part, by the campus’s collection of inviting villas connected by natural pathways. EIS embraces close connections between families, students, and teachers, exemplified by committed parent groups that volunteer to organize events and charitable undertakings. One result of this is students, staff, and parents who are proud to wear the school’s iconic orange outside the campus.

Facility Upgrades that Bridge to the Future

The new leadership arrangement comes at an exciting time as EIS continues to grow and expand to meet enrollments and changes in the city’s educational landscape. Recent upgrades include a new International Baccalaureate Centre and a complete modernization of the early learning classrooms, which has delighted teachers, students and parents alike. Jo emphasized that creating an engaging environment for teachers and students is vital to fostering positive energy on campus.

Additional improvements include a new roof and turf for the sports field as well as break-out spaces for independent and collaborative learning. Parents will also notice a new pick-up/drop-off area within the school’s gates that underscores the school’s commitment to safety and allows opportunities for teachers and parents to interact at the start and end of each day.

Over the next academic year, Jo and Ben will refine how they can best approach shared leadership tasks such as budgeting, staffing, event planning, and sustainable growth and expansion. Leading with their strengths, they plan to explore new technologies, innovations and collaborations while ensuring that the school’s educational village atmosphere remains at the heart of any future planning.