International Schools Partnership (ISP), a global group of schools that own and operate Nibras International School (NIS), have appointed Dr. Jay Teston as the new Principal for the 2020 – 2021 academic year. Dr Teston has over 33 years of experience as an educator, with 25 of these years at schools in the USA. He has extensive US-based and international experience in leadership roles, and for the last 8 years, he has been the School Director at Qingdao No.1 International School of Shandong Province.
“Over the last few months, through many calls, airport and travel shutdowns, school closures and city-wide lockdowns, our dedicated team interviewed over two dozen global candidates. We wanted to find an inspirational and experienced educator, who we believe will be able to guide NIS into the next phase of its academic journey,” said Bharat Mansukhani, ISP Managing Director – Middle East.
“We are excited to welcome Dr Teston to NIS and the ISP family. Some of the many things that stood out about Dr Teston included his experience with turning around schools using both Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. He has spent many years working on curriculum enhancements and improving student outcomes through inquiry-based and project-based learning approaches. We know these achievements, coupled with his experience in recruitment and teacher professional development, will all play a crucial role in further improving the academic outcomes at NIS,” he said.
Dr. Teston completed his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership in Florida, USA, a Master of Science in Special Education Degree in Pennsylvania, USA and holds several Educational Certificates from the USA, Italy and England.
Dr. Teston, who is scheduled to arrive in Dubai this summer, has taken the new appointment as his renewed purpose. “The moment I decided to join the Nibras International School community, I immediately felt excited, relieved, and empowered. I knew I found my new purpose and my new educational mission,” he said.
“I believe that a person’s success in academic and social pursuits is effort-based. I firmly embrace the universal golden rule that the harder I work – the more I will be rewarded. I want the NIS community to strive to understand this in everything they do. Also being a citizen and a student of the world, I want the students at NIS to have the rich experiences I have had,” Dr. Teston said.
His collaborative work with Universities in Asia, Europe and the USA, has taken Dr. Teston across the world promoting interscholastic exchanges in pursuit of understanding rigor in the classrooms.
The change in the principal position comes as Michael Cipriano, the current principal of NIS announced his retirement earlier this year.
“We want to thank Michael for his positive affect on the school, and the many initiatives he started are going to benefit many future generations of NIS students. We wish him good luck on his next chapter,” said Bharat.