May 2016 Board Meeting 

On Tuesday May 17, the ISD Board of Trustees held its last meeting of the 2015-2016 school year. The Board was pleased to welcome Barbara Fultz, ISD Curriculum Coordinator and Co-Chair of the Accreditation Steering Committee, who made a presentation on ISD’s re-accreditation process.

Governance and Development Chair Jennifer Grant presented a report on recent trustee Elections to the Board.

Director Alan Knoboch presented the proposed scope of work for the construction of a new school gym to the Board for approval. Board members reviewed on second reading the Five-year Financial plan and the Withdrawal and Expulsion policy. The Board voted to approve the scope of work of the Gym, the Five-year Financial Plan and the Withdrawal and Expulsion policy.

The meeting closed with remarks of appreciation as well as special thanks and best wishes to departing Board Chair Vesna de la Borde, Trustee David Peterson, Elementary School Principal Ian Clark and US Ambassador’s representative Karen Gustafson de Andrade. We would like to thank all the departing members for their service to the Board and to ISD.

Trustee Appointment

Due to Vesna de la Borde’s departure at the end of the school year, the ISD Board voted last night to appoint Louisa Gibbs as a trustee. Louisa is a parent of three elementary school children at ISD and works as a lawyer. In her words, Louisa will “contribute her skills as a lawyer, long time experience on the committee of a not-for-profit association in Australia, varied life experiences from residing in Australia, Vietnam, Solomon Islands and Senegal, and appreciation of living as part of the dynamic ISD community in Dakar, to the role of a Trustee on the School Board.” The Board extends a warm welcome to Louisa Gibbs who will begin in August.

2016-2017 Board 

Trustees of the 2016-17 Board: Jennifer Grant, Linda Percy, Thiaba Camara Sy, Gilles Meura, James Garry, Papa Ndiaye, Marie Blanchard, Jonathan Scott, and Louisa Gibbs.

Teacher’s Representative: Sandra Goldsborough

US Ambassador’s Representative: Jenna Diallo

Administration: Director Alan Knobloch, Elementary School Principal Kelly Chumrau, and Secondary School Principal Brad Bell

Board Officer Elections

Board officers for the 2016-17 school year were elected by Trustees in the Executive Session following the regular Board meeting on Tuesday, May 17.

Board Officers for 2016-17:

Chair: Jennifer Grant

Vice-Chair: Linda Percy

Treasurer: Thiaba Camara Sy

Secretary: Gilles Meura 

Thank you!

On behalf of the Board, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the parents who volunteered in the course of this year to contribute to the Board’s work. Many thanks to Manuel Wally who served on the Governance & Development Committee and Monika Oudotte who served on the Elections Committee. Your contributions have helped move ISD forward.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Grant, Chair, ISD Board of Trustees