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Mr. Kevin Baker arrived in Guangzhou about a month ago to take over as the new director of AISG from Dr. Carmody. He’s been “enjoying exploring Guangzhou” with his wife, Dee. He first visited Guangzhou in 1990 and is looking forward to discovering how much it has changed.
Mr. Baker was born in southern California, went to college in Nebraska, and returned to California a few years later for his first teaching position. He met his wife there and they married soon after. He next had the opportunity to work internationally in Hong Kong. He began his career at Hong Kong International School (HKIS) in 1988. and later moved back to the United States. From there, he became the director of an independent school in the state of Minnesota, then a school in Dallas, Texas, and was later recruited to Seoul Foreign School (SFS), where he worked for 11 years. He then became the director of the International School of Busan, also in South Korea, for five years.
Mr. Baker said that his initial impression of AISG was that it was “incredible”. He praised the “warm and welcoming community” and said he loved the “feel of the community on both campuses.” Since he worked at SFS, he knew of and even visited AISG a number of times through APAC. He says that it is “very thrilling” to be back at AISG as the new director.
He expressed his excitement at the new renovations and plans for the Master Facility, saying that they are something “we are all going to be able to be very proud of” and believes that the renovations will present a “unique opportunity” for all AISG students.
Mr. Baker’s goals for this year are to approach AISG in a “thoughtful and intentional” manner. His plan for the first year is to “get to know the school and the community”. He hopes to “understand the school” and its history and legacy. He also hopes to be able to further define AISG’s values and what the school stands for. He then plans to use this information to build a shared vision of what the school should be in the future. He believes that the future of AISG is “bright and limitless”. However, he wants to be “reflective and strategic” when building a shared future for the school, and most importantly, “build a shared vision as a community.” You can read more about Mr. Baker’s entry plan on the AISG website.
As for long-term plans for the school, he hopes to help AISG achieve the mission and vision statements. In order to do this, Mr. Baker will first focus on defining what it means to be “dynamic, compassionate, and connected”, so “we’ll know it when we see it”. Additionally, he hopes to help the students of AISG become “future-ready” by defining what it means to be future-ready. According to Mr. Baker, the new pathfinder classrooms are just one way to help students become future-ready. The bottom line is that “it’s not about doing more, but about doing things that […] make a difference” in the lives of our students.
Mr. Baker spends time on both Ersha and Science Park. He has an office on both campuses. He is on Ersha campus on Wednesdays and Fridays and Science Park on Mondays and Thursdays. As for Tuesdays, “depending on what the needs of the school are, [he is] either on one campus or the other. This being the plan, Mr. Baker may show up anywhere at any time in AISG!
Mr. Baker says his outlook for the year is both “positive” and “enthused”. He’s excited to get to know the students and see the school in operation and connect with the community since he believes that “a school’s not a school until the students are here.” Mr. Baker desires to be “involved in the life of the school”, and is “very hopeful” for a successful school year.
Some fun facts Mr. Baker would like the students to know are that he loves barbeque, sports, and the fine arts; he supports the Nebraska Cornhuskers; and that he formerly held the record for javelin throw in Hong Kong before the handover.
Overall, Mr. Baker expressed his excitement at finally being here “to support Rams Nation.” Make sure to say hi when you see him by the buses or at Rams events!
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