ISB's Newest Staff

By Anna Janowski

March 2022

As the #1-ranked high school and #2-ranked middle school in Oregon, ISB is unique both in its academic strength and in the communities it encompasses. The student body represents great diversity in ethnicities, nationalities, and cultures. Hardworking, motivated students form communities of their own within the school. Students are challenged and work hard at ISB in a way that isn’t reflected at many other schools. And this unique combination of qualities stands out to no one more, perhaps, than staff members new to ISB.

New principal Mr. Gilford wrote in ISB’s November 5th newsletter that while a high ranking is something to be proud of, ISB is so much more than that. And it’s the characteristics that go beyond the rankings that have, in large part, have made new staff members’ experiences with ISB so far overwhelmingly positive. ISB’s unique characteristics, from the work ethic of the students to the mutual respect and friendliness between students and staff, are strikingly unique and positive to these new members of the ISB community.

From middle school band to high school science, new staff are noticing what’s different about ISB students. Chemistry teacher Ms. Weidert, like several other teachers who made similar comments, noted that her students are “academically motivated.” Ms. Hubbard, who teaches middle school science, says ISB students “expect to be challenged,” and while that’s “both positive and negative,” the ways she’s seen students respond to those challenges is “awesome.” She has also observed that even though her students are in middle school, the way they deal with issues is very professional. School social worker Mr. Robbins comments that ISB students “are exceptionally bright,” which he finds “really impressive.”

But it’s not just the academic challenges and the students’ work ethic that set ISB apart. Even beyond schoolwork, ISB’s new teachers are noticing what makes ISB students unique - and they love to see it. Ms. Hubbard enthused that “the kids are so much nicer here!” than at other schools where she’s taught. Ms. Weidert commented that her students are “caring” and “have a strong sense of empathy.”

Ms. Cook, a language arts and lit & comp teacher, says, “I have noticed here a culture of really deep respect the students have for their classmates, their teachers, and community as a whole.” History teacher Ms. Ogden made a similar observation about student respect for teachers. “These are the kind of students to say thank you at the end of each class,” she says, “which is such a small thing, but as a teacher who’s taught in many different schools, that's a really amazing attribute.” Mr. Gilford says that “students laugh readily” and have helped him to maintain his optimism.

Band director Mr. MacWilliams called his students “phenomenal,” the same word Ms. Weidert used to describe the school’s culture. But these new staff aren’t just observing ISB’s culture- they’re contributing to it. Many of them want their classes to serve as opportunities for students to get excited about what they’re learning. They’re dedicated to helping students learn and be successful throughout all levels of the IB curriculum as well as supporting them in whatever ways are necessary.

Several have also expressed their hopes for the future. Ms. Ogden, who noted that she sees students frequently using their phones, says she wants to see them become “more of a community of readers.” Ms. Hubbard is looking forward to seeing her seventh-grade students “go all the way through and graduate.” Mr. Robbins, the new school social worker, wants to improve the school’s culture around mental health. These teachers are already contributing to making ISB a better place.

New staff also love the diversity of the student body. With students coming from so many different backgrounds, a huge variety of cultures and nationalities are represented. “It’s a joy to see so many diverse cultures here,” says choir teacher Mr. Wilde. As Mr. Gilford puts it, “We are a little microcosm of the world;” he says he came to ISB in large part because of the emphasis on learning through an international lens. Ms. Ogden thinks the “multicultural aspect at this school” is “great”. Students and staff alike can learn from each other, interacting with people whose cultures are vastly different than their own - and, for some, people whose cultures or backgrounds are similar to theirs. “I’m from Russia, and I’ve never had so many Russian students,” Ms. Ogden says.

Beyond students, too, the new staff have expressed great satisfaction with ISB. The communities of students are strong; communities of staff are as well. “We all get together, we all talk… there’s a lot of collaboration,” Ms. Hubbard says of the school’s science department. She calls the relationships between the teachers in her department “great” and says staff at ISB are “all very supportive of each other.” New teachers are enjoying ISB’s support systems for both students and staff.

“I have found my professional home here,” Mr. Gilford says, adding that he’s felt “incredibly welcomed” into his new role and into the school community by both students and staff.

The kindness between students that the new staff have noted and the diversity of the school are just a couple of the characteristics that define ISB beyond its rankings. Several teachers have also pointed to the friendliness and respect between students and staff as an indicator of why they like ISB’s culture and why it’s so positive.

These relationships aren’t just theoretical or rare, and these accounts of them aren’t exaggerations, either. Mr. Robbins remarked on the positive, friendly relationships between students and staff, explaining that students often say hello to him as he walks through the halls. “There’s a lot of caring that’s going on,” he says, and as a result of this positive atmosphere, he’s felt “very welcomed.” Just a few minutes after he made this comment, a student in the hallway just outside the Wellness Center proved it true by saying, “Have a good weekend, Mr. Thomas!”

Mr. Thomas replied, “Thank you! You, too.”

This interaction wasn’t an intentional affirmation of Mr. Robbins’ observations, nor was it just a coincidence. After all, how coincidental can something be when it’s happening all the time? This was simply one of many conversations of its kind that happen every day at ISB. And it’s these kinds of relationships and communities that, in large part, have given ISB’s new staff members such a positive first impression of the school. The “expect welcome, extend welcome” idea “is so true,” Ms. Hubbard says. “Everyone believes in that.”

And whether you have been here for more than a decade, less than a year, or anywhere in between, ISB is a better place because of it.