11 International Schools that have a Supportive Environment (Part 2)

When there is a supportive environment at a school, then everyone thrives.

But times can get stressful, and things can change at the last minute in schools, which can cause teachers and other stakeholders to seek help and support.

If there is a supportive environment at a school, then these stakeholders are likely to lend a helping hand to others in need.

There are many stressors at an international school: new students starting all of the time (some that are even new to English), endless meetings (sometimes not so useful for everyone), workload, having to reply to concerning parent emails, etc.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all stakeholders at the school really needed help and support to cope with all of the changes (sometimes very last minute!) to how your school runs its day and teaches its students.

But luckily, there are some international schools out there that have quite nice and supportive environments for their students, teachers, staff, and parents.

So, which international schools then have these supportive environments for their stakeholders? Can you guess which countries/schools around the world would make for the best supportive conditions?

Luckily, ISC was designed to help international school teachers find the information they are looking for. Using the Comment Search feature (premium membership needed), we found 250 comments that had the keyword “supportive” in them. Here are 11 of them:

Israel

“The school is very supportive if a staff member has a true emergency or family situation. In terms of staff morale, the school is not strong in that area…” – Walworth Barbour American International School (54 total comments)

Morocco

“The onboarding is very supportive. The HHRR staff are consistently available and able to resolve questions and disperse anxieties…” – George Washington Academy (119 total comments)

Namibia

“The school promotes professional development, community events, collaboration opportunities, and a supportive culture focused on kindness and mutual respect…” – Windhoek International School (88 total comments)

Kenya

“Be ready to work collaboratively and stay flexible. Teamwork is highly valued here. The environment is supportive, and if youre proactive, youll thrive both professionally and personally…” – Braeburn Mombasa International School (31 total comments)

China

“As a member of staff here, you will be made to feel welcome no matter where you are from. The team is very friendly and supportive…” – Lycee Francais de Shanghai (82 total comments)

Japan

“Recently, I went through a very positive interview process with a GKA. From the first meeting, I was introduced to some wonderful people and really enjoyed connecting with them. I was asked to do a demo lesson via Zoom, which went better than I had anticipated. The students were quiet but kind, and the staff were supportive and helpful throughout…” – Gunma Kokusai Academy (73 total comments)

Myanmar

“One of the really nice and supportive things at the school is the IT department. Anytime a teacher has a problem with the school computer OR their personal computer, the IT staff responds to the classroom almost immediately. They have successfully addressed any computing problems for which I have called them…” – Ayeyarwaddy International School (161 total comments)

Uzbekistan

“Very supportive community. I guess since this is a community school, there is no corporate pressure…” – Tashkent International School (88 total comments)

India

Leadership Support. The school is led by a diverse leadership team that emphasizes creating a supportive and inclusive environment. This leadership approach fosters collaboration and ensures that staff feel valued and motivated…” – Pathways World School (47 total comments)

Pakistan

“Most parents of students are very supportive and positive about both the education of their children and the socialization provided. Supports are in place for new incoming students, both with teachers/advisors and peers…” – International School of Islamabad (63 total comments)

United Kingdom

“Native English speakers are not required. Poland is not a fully LGBT friendly country, but the school is fully supportive. Local teaching staff mostly have master’s and doctorates, even teaching assistants. and make up about one-third of the population. The rest are mostly American, then other Europeans, and a mix of other continents and countries. Foreign staff turnover is a normal mix of short and mid-timers, though the school has more long-timers than average…” – International School of Krakow (64 total comments)

Lesson #2 at International School Hiring Fairs: ‘Energy is eternal delight’ – so its opposite is…?

“Energy is eternal delight” — so its opposite is…?

“(h/t to William Blake who, though dead, deserves eternal credit for the eternally delightful maxim.) If, like mine, your own heart seems to pump more espresso than blood, then it may be important to consider the energy coming from those interviewing you.

I’m not saying interviewers need to be manic or anything; I’m just saying a lack of excitement, of a sort of buoyancy—of even a decorously restrained intensity—when discussing educational vision while courting for a temporary professional marriage may be, well, a screaming red flag.

Granted, the interviewers are stuck in their hotel rooms interviewing candidate after candidate for many more straight hours than the candidates themselves, but still—we’re all teachers, current or past, so we should be pretty good at keeping our energy level up whenever a professional client enters the room, be it classroom or hotel room. The short version? Beware the droopy interviewer, and put a gold star by the inspired/inspiring one. You are, after all, bound to be sitting in many more meetings with them if you sign the contract to work with them. If they’re sleepy, chances are you’ll be a sleepy worker with them. But if they’re exciting—in a way that rings true (and we all have what Hemingway calls a “shock-proof sh!t-detector,” don’t we, to distinguish real from fake excitement, yes?)—then consider fishing your pocket for that ring, and dropping to your knees on the spot.”*

There really is nothing quite like stepping into someone’s hotel room for an interview. When you pause to think about it, the entire setup feels a little strange. Recruiters are often confined to the same room for the whole day, interviewing candidate after candidate, so it’s understandable that energy levels may dip. Still, there are ways administrators can improve the experience.

Simple changes can make a difference. Bringing along school materials—logos, photos, or a slideshow—can help the room feel less sterile and more representative of the school itself. Shifting the interview format toward a more conversational tone can also help, even something as small as offering tea or coffee. Some schools might even take the discussion on a short walk around the hotel, inside or outside. That last idea may sound unconventional, but recruitment fairs are already unusual environments. A little creativity could benefit everyone involved.

Most of us have experienced interviews where the interviewers appear disorganized or only vaguely aware of who is sitting in front of them. Some seem confused or out of sorts, unable to project any genuine enthusiasm for their school. As Clay Burell points out, however, these logistical flaws shouldn’t matter if the person is truly excited about their workplace. That excitement—or its absence—should be clear. If administrators don’t seem to enjoy working at their school, it may be a red flag worth noting.

At the same time, it’s important to account for cultural differences. Some international schools, particularly British international schools, tend to operate with a more formal, reserved style. That seriousness can easily be mistaken for boredom or lack of passion. In reality, the school may be a very engaging place to work once you’re there, with colleagues who are lively and enjoyable in less formal settings.

The takeaway

At international school recruitment fairs, pay close attention to how engaged your interviewers appear. Energy is hard to fake, and sustained enthusiasm usually reflects a healthy working environment. While cultural context matters, consistent disengagement often tells its own story. The people interviewing you today are the people you’ll likely work with tomorrow—and their energy may offer an early glimpse into what that future could feel like.

Decorating Learning or Improving It? Rethinking AI Use in International Schools

How international schools can move beyond AI policy debates toward shared understanding, safe experimentation, and responsible practice across the whole community.

As international schools return from winter break, one conversation is happening almost everywhere.

From staff meetings to well-being check-ins and leadership conversations, the same questions keep surfacing:

Do we need an AI policy, or can existing integrity and responsible-use guidelines be adapted?
How do we protect student data and ensure it is not used to train AI systems?
What limits are needed for AI companions and chat tools to avoid dependency?

These are important questions. But after several months of living with AI in real classrooms, one insight is becoming clear across many international schools: the challenge is not writing a policy; it is aligning the community.

Policy Is a Starting Point, Not the Solution

AI policies and responsible-use guidelines are necessary. They help clarify expectations, reduce uncertainty, and signal that schools are taking AI seriously.

However, when policy conversations move faster than shared understanding, misalignment grows.

Teachers may interpret guidelines differently. Parents may hear one message at school and another in the media. Students may follow rules without understanding them, especially when AI expectations vary between teachers or subjects. In these moments, even well-written policies struggle to work as intended.

When these perspectives are not brought together, schools move in parallel rather than in partnership. Alignment, not enforcement, is what allows responsible use to take root.

From Control to Shared Understanding

In response to uncertainty, many schools initially rely on top-down rules to manage risk. While understandable, compliance-first approaches often struggle to reflect classroom reality. When AI is framed mainly as something to control, trust weakens, innovation slows, and confusion grows across teachers, students, and families.

Over time, schools are learning a key lesson: alignment must come before documentation. Those making the most progress begin not with new rules, but by revisiting their mission and values, clarifying what learning and integrity mean in an AI-rich world, and openly acknowledging how AI is already being used by students and staff. From this shared foundation, guidance becomes clearer, more practical, and more widely trusted.

Shared learning moments, such as Hours of AI, staff workshops, or school-wide discussions, play an important role in this shift. They move the conversation from “Is this allowed?” to “Why are we using this, and how does it support learning?” and help build a common language across age groups and roles.

Elementary students exploring AI hands-on during Hour of AI, guided by Grade 10 students

These conversations also surface an important distinction. While AI can generate polished visuals or graphs, its greater potential lies in deeper work: supporting safe data use, refining lesson design, improving feedback, and helping educators work more efficiently and effectively. Responsible use, then, is not about banning surface-level applications, but about helping students and staff clearly distinguish between AI that decorates learning and AI that genuinely improves it.

Exploring AI Safely, Transparently, and Together

Beyond alignment, schools are learning that responsible AI integration requires intentional exploration. This work cannot be reduced to rules alone. Schools need safe spaces to try, reflect, adjust, and sometimes stop practices that do not serve learning.

In practice, safe exploration often looks like:

piloting AI use in limited contexts before scaling
making expectations explicit to students about when and why AI is used
documenting what works, what does not, and why
pausing practices that reduce thinking or student agency
regularly reviewing decisions with staff, students, and parents

Transparency is important throughout this process. When schools clearly explain how and why AI is being used, expectations become clearer and trust increases. Students learn that AI is not a hidden shortcut, but a tool whose benefits and limits must be understood.

Equally important is holding opportunities and concerns in view. AI can support access, language development, and efficiency, but it also raises questions about dependency, bias, data privacy, and cognitive effort. Naming these tensions openly helps communities make more thoughtful decisions.

This work cannot sit with teachers or leadership alone. Office staff, learning support teams, IT staff, parents, and students all interact with AI in different ways. Involving the whole school community ensures that responsible use is not theoretical, but lived through daily practice.

From Policy to Culture

AI integration is not ultimately about producing a document. It is about building a culture of trust, clarity, and responsible exploration.

When communities are aligned, policies support learning rather than constrain it. As schools continue this work, the guiding question remains:

How do we lead AI responsibly by bringing our whole community together?

About the Author

Mariano is an international educator and Head of Design with experience leading technology and AI integration in international school contexts. His work focuses on AI literacy, responsible innovation, and the design of learning experiences that keep pedagogy, wellbeing, and community alignment at the centre.

Why U.S. Expat Teachers Should Look Beyond “Just Filing” Their Taxes in 2026

Many U.S. expats file their tax returns correctly each year and assume that’s the end of the story. In reality, living abroad often creates unusual tax situations that open up planning opportunities most people never notice. The three scenarios below are drawn from TieTax’s years of experience working with U.S. expats and reflect real patterns they see again and again. You may recognize your own situation in one of them.

Repositioning Retirement Assets During a Low-Income Expat Year

A U.S. citizen working in Asia earned a strong salary but used the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion to reduce U.S. taxable income to near zero. While compliance was handled correctly, the return revealed something more important. A large portion of the standard deduction went unused, creating a planning window that would not exist in a typical U.S.-based year.

Rather than letting that value disappear, the taxpayer strategically converted a portion of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The conversion amount was carefully limited to fit within the unused standard deduction and the lowest marginal brackets, resulting in little to no current U.S. tax. This permanently shifted assets from pre-tax to post-tax status.

By repeating partial conversions over several years abroad, the taxpayer substantially reduced future required distributions and long-term tax exposure. Had these conversions been deferred until returning to the U.S., they would likely have occurred at significantly higher rates.

If this sounds like your situation…
📢 Claim your $50 off first-year tax filing—submit your contact info to TieTax, and they will get back to you ASAP!

Harvesting Capital Gains Into Unused Standard Deduction Space

A married couple living in Europe had accumulated a sizable U.S. brokerage account before moving abroad. While overseas, their earned income was largely sheltered through a combination of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and foreign tax credits, leaving their U.S. taxable income unusually low each year.

Their annual returns consistently showed a large unused standard deduction. Instead of allowing that deduction to go unused, the couple intentionally realized long-term capital gains each year (in their brokerage account, for example) up to the available standard deductions. This allowed them to sell appreciated ETFs, recognize gains, and reset cost basis with little or no federal tax.

The proceeds were reinvested immediately, preserving market exposure while significantly reducing future capital gains exposure. When the couple later returned to the U.S. and reentered higher income brackets, much of the appreciation had already been taxed at minimal or zero cost.

If you need help to get this started in your situation…
📢 Claim your $50 off first-year tax filing—submit your contact info to TieTax, and they will get back to you ASAP!

Strategic Income Recognition in a High-Tax Country

A U.S. family relocated to Northern Europe for a multi-year assignment in a country with relatively high income taxes. Initially, all earned income was excluded using the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, which eliminated U.S. tax but also left most of the standard deduction unused, thereby limiting long-term planning flexibility.

After reviewing the situation more strategically, the family shifted away from full FEIE usage and relied primarily on foreign tax credits. This increased reported U.S. taxable income while still avoiding double taxation due to the high foreign taxes paid. The approach enabled them to retain full eligibility for Roth IRA and Child Tax Credit benefits while abroad.

This strategy was only viable because the family had no ongoing state income tax exposure. In states such as California or New York, the additional income would have triggered state tax and negated the benefit. The approach also required careful attention to the rules and limitations when coordinating between FEIE and FTC across tax years, as these elections are subject to restrictions and planning constraints when switching between methods.

If you require assistance coordinating between FEIE and FTC…
📢 Claim your $50 off first-year tax filing—submit your contact info to TieTax, and they will get back to you ASAP!

Summary

Living abroad creates tax outcomes that are very different from those faced by U.S.-based taxpayers. While filing obligations remain, the interaction between foreign income, exclusions, credits, and deductions often produces low or even zero U.S. taxable income in years where cash flow is strong. When handled correctly, these years can present rare planning windows that allow expats to reduce long-term tax exposure rather than simply comply.

At TieTax, we begin with fundamentals. This includes confirming U.S. tax residency and filing status, determining the appropriate use of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and or Foreign Tax Credits, and identifying any ongoing state tax exposure. Without getting these core items right, meaningful planning is either limited or impossible.

Once compliance is solid, TieTax focuses on strategy. Many expats have unused standard deductions, low marginal brackets, or, in some cases, access to the 0 percent long-term capital gains rate. When appropriate, this can allow for capital gains harvesting, cost-basis resets, or partial conversions from traditional retirement accounts to Roth accounts at very low effective tax rates. These opportunities are highly fact-specific and often only exist for a limited number of years.

This type of planning is rarely identified by software alone. Most tax programs optimize only the current year and do not model future outcomes, repatriation risk, or multi-year election consequences. Strategic decisions such as when to recognize income, whether to use FEIE or FTC, and how to coordinate retirement planning require an advisor who understands expat-specific rules and long-term implications.

If you are living abroad and want to understand whether similar planning opportunities exist in your situation, TieTax can help. Our work goes beyond filing and focuses on building a clear framework tailored to your residency profile, income mix, family situation, and future plans. Reaching out early can make the difference between simply complying and meaningfully optimizing while the opportunity still exists!

At TieTax, they specialize in helping U.S. expat teachers navigate their tax obligations. Our experts make sure you file correctly, maximize deductions, and avoid penalties. 📢 Claim your $50 off first-year tax filing—submit your contact info to TieTax, and they will get back to you ASAP!

📩 Have questions? Contact Stephen Boush at TieTax: Stephen.Boush @ tietax.com

Compliance Disclaimer – The scenarios above are illustrative examples only and are not intended as tax advice. Tax outcomes vary significantly based on individual facts, residency status, state tax exposure, foreign tax systems, and multi-year elections. Strategies involving the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, Foreign Tax Credits, capital gains recognition, and retirement account conversions require careful analysis and may not be appropriate for all taxpayers.

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