Redefining Success: How An Enduring Partnership Helped KIS Jeju Revitalize Its Schoolwide Learning Objectives
“We realized it was time to engage the whole community in who we are and, more importantly, where we want to go, says KIS Jeju Head of School Shawn Vento. Inspire Citizens’ Aaron Moniz was then invited to play a key role in helping to develop capacity within the wider school community. (image supplied)
While a solid mission and vision statement are essential for any international school, they may not be sufficient to fully guide a community toward its aspirations. Equally powerful are the Schoolwide Learning Objectives (SLOs), which serve as practical, "street-level" applications of a school's values and goals. With the right approach and maybe a bit of advice, revisiting and refining these SLOs can supercharge a school's vision, making it more tangible and impactful for students, teachers, and the entire community.
At Korea International School's Jeju Campus (KIS Jeju), just such a metamorphic journey has been underway to revitalize the school's SLOs. With the involvement of Inspire Citizens facilitator and thought partner Aaron Moniz, KIS Jeju has engaged its entire community—students, parents, staff, faculty, and leadership—in redefining what big-picture success looks like for its learners.
Recognizing the Need for Change
The initiative began during the school's Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) re-accreditation process. As Director of Teaching and Learning Julia Snider explains, “Our data indicated some confusion about our school-wide learning outcomes. We had this acronym, DRAGONS, but terms like 'Design Your Destination' could mean a hundred things to a hundred different people."
Head of School Shawn Vento adds, “We realized it was time to engage the whole community in who we are and, more importantly, where we want to go. This was an opportunity to particularly change our school-wide learning outcomes."
An Evolving Partnership with Inspire Citizens
Welcoming expert guidance, KIS Jeju began collaborating with Aaron Moniz from Inspire Citizens. Julia recalls, “We had all this data and a general idea of what's important. We turned to Aaron and said, 'Help! What do we do now?'”
Aaron's role was multifaceted. He served as a consultant, mentor, and motivator, meeting regularly with Julia and Shawn over the course of a year.
"Aaron provided both consultation on content and processes," Julia notes. "He left seeds for us to think about but intentionally didn't give us a packaged plan. He used a constructivist lens, offering options and experiences but emphasizing that we needed to make it make sense for our community."
Shawn highlights Aaron's encouragement during challenging times. "He was always there cheering us on,” recalls Shawn. “He reinforced that what we were doing was important and would make a real difference in the type of school our community would design."
"Developing school identity is important after the first ten years, and this was meaningful community-building work,” says Director of Teaching and Learning Julia Snider. (image supplied)
Engaging the Community and Refining the SLOs
The collaborative effort involved extensive engagement with all stakeholders. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, KIS Jeju conducted in-person meetings and surveys with students, parents, staff, and faculty. The feedback was clear: while the mission and vision resonated, the SLOs needed clarity and relevance.
"We saw this as an opportunity to bring us together around something central that is inspiring," says Julia. "Developing school identity is important after the first ten years, and this was meaningful community-building work."
Professional Development and Implementation
With the new SLOs refined, Aaron facilitated a two-day professional development session for 160 educators.
"This was exactly the focus of the two days: how these SLOs are enhancing what we're doing with the curriculum," Shawn explains.
The PD session was highly interactive.
"It wasn't just him talking," Shawn recalls. "He facilitated discussions and gave teachers time to prepare for when students would return.” Shawn received feedback from participants praising the effective use of time.
Julia adds, "Aaron's energy was incredible. We walked away feeling like, 'Wow, we're doing these things!' His knowledge of how schools operate allowed him to ask the right questions and contextualize the work in meaningful ways."
Building Capacity and Moving Forward
As the school moves into the implementation phase, Aaron's role has evolved.
Leadership team members Shawn and Julia are calling this “an audit year” of identifying existing ways that the SLOs are already being incorporated into the KIS Jeju approach - and seeking organic ways in which the SLOs can enhance current classroom learning.
"He met a gap that we knew we had and more than filled it," Julia reflects. "Now, we're calling this year an audit of what's already happening and identifying organic ways in which our SLOs can enhance the already great classroom learning that’s happening. "
Both Julia and Shawn share the perspective that the overarching goal is sustainable change.
"We know things like this don't happen overnight," Julia says. "We're committed to integrating the SLOs as threads that weave together our school fabric."
Shawn emphasizes the importance of taking time.
"We've been intentional about not overwhelming people. We're already doing these things; let's name it, call it out, be intentional."
A Legacy of Collaborative Growth
Both Julia and Shawn are in their final year at KIS Jeju, but their commitment to the school's growth remains strong.
"We are very much invested in the well-being of the school, whether we're here or not," Julia shares. "This will be part of our collective legacy, contributing in a concrete way to KIS Jeju’s collaborative learning culture."
Reflecting on the journey, Shawn says, "It's been fulfilling to see where we started as a school and where we are now. Aaron's involvement has been instrumental in that growth."
The partnership between KIS Jeju and Inspire Citizens exemplifies how thoughtful collaboration and community engagement can revitalize a school's core objectives. By involving all stakeholders and focusing on sustainable, meaningful change, KIS Jeju is setting a precedent for what school identity and success can look like.
Inspire Citizens’ Aaron Moniz has been instrumental in facilitating the advancements that have come about with the redeveloped SLOs at KIS Jeju.
Whole school visions take many forms. Explore more of what’s possible with Inspire Citizens!