From the Director: Pastures New

Dear ISD Families,

I would like to inform parents that Mr David Longworth, our Primary Principal, will be leaving ISD after securing a new leadership role at an international school in South America. I know that Mr David leaving us will be sad news for our families after successfully leading the Primary School at ISD since 2021. It was originally intended that David would leave ISD in June 2024, at the end of the school year. However, his new school will begin their academic year in January 2024 and David will be expected to start in his role at that time. This means that David will, with the school’s agreement, be ending his time at ISD in December 2023.

It was David’s preference to complete his contract with ISD and work with us until the end of the school year; but this has not been possible. I know that this is not a comfortable decision for David nor one that we would have wished for. David has been a dynamic leader and supportive presence in his time at ISD and I know we would all have wanted him to be with us to see out the year.

However, the school has been working hard to review the options for an interim leadership cover arrangement for the remaining six months of the school year. We are also continuing to speak with other suitable candidates working at other international schools for a longer term appointment starting in August 2024. We are advanced in this process.

Nevertheless, we are also delighted that David will be able to move to an exciting new opportunity and must recognise that these unfortunate and challenging moments of transition can happen in the life of international schools. We will do our very best to ensure that there is a strong continuity of leadership for the Primary School through this period of change. We will also make sure that David receives a fine farewell to thank him for the outstanding work he has given ISD these past years.

Steve Calland-Scoble
Director