Community Learning and Engagement for Impactful Service Learning

This full-day pre-conference experience takes participants off-site and into Mathare for an immersive, hands-on exploration of asset-based community development guided by representatives from the Canada Mathare Education Trust (CMET) and the PaaMoja Initiative. Participants will engage directly with community members and practitioners, using real tools for community assets mapping and the reciprocal co-design of partnerships.

The day is grounded in a simple but transformative premise: that every community holds strengths, knowledge, and leadership worth recognizing.

From Vision to Systems: Leading and Strengthening Student Support Services in AISA Schools

Building on last year’s foundational symposium and the launch of the AISA Student Support Handbook, this session takes the next step by focusing on how leaders translate vision into sustainable practice regardless of school size. Participants will explore the leadership side of Student Support, including defining roles, advocating for resources, and navigating the pressures that often arise in international schools.

Using a structured systems audit, participants will reflect on the effectiveness of their current programs and identify areas for growth. 

Rooted, Rising, Leading: Women's Leadership in International Schools

Join us for a one-day pre-conference that brings together women from across the continent to engage in a retreat-style session (e.g., honest, intimate, and practical) to explore: - ways to genuinely celebrate our roles in schools - mechanisms for breaking down barriers to our success - and concrete tools (including networks) that can further empower us as we head home to our own school contexts.

Whether you're in the classroom, the coordinator's office, or the head's chair, this day is for you. Men are warmly welcomed as allies and advocates.

Resilience as a Systemic Practice: Bridging Individual Support and School-Wide Psychological First Aid and Suicide Prevention

This workshop offers a retreat-style experience that integrates wellbeing, reflection, and practical skill-building. Participants will explore the connection between individual student support and systemic, school-wide approaches to psychological first aid and suicide prevention.

Through guided reflection, case consultation, and collaborative dialogue, counselors will engage with practical tools and adaptable frameworks grounded in prevention science.