OWIS unveils new organisation structure with a new Head of Secondary at OWIS Nanyang

One World International School has unveiled a new organisation structure for the academic leadership team at our Nanyang and Suntec campuses. This new structure, which includes the creation of new roles and responsibilities, reflects our Head of School’s vision of Primary School and Secondary School having their own identities.

A key aspect of this new organisation structure is the recognition of the leadership potential of our existing Heads of Department and the new appointment of Dr Tracy Ghomashchian as the Head of Secondary.

Secondary School Leaders at OWIS Nanyang

Clockwise from top left – Dr Tracy Ghomaschian; Mr Angelo Govender;
Ms Sanhita Roy; Ms Catherine Adler

Dr Tracy Ghomashchian joins OWIS Nanyang from a position as Deputy Head of School at an international school in China. Having worked as a teacher of Design Technology and in school leadership for many years, she has a strong understanding of the requirements of older children. As the Head of Secondary School, she will leverage her background to help craft a distinct identity for OWIS’s Secondary School, with a focus on academic excellence and shaping students into global citizens.

Mr Angelo Govender, formerly Head of the ICT Department, has been appointed as the Senior Coordinator for Teaching & Learning for Secondary School at OWIS Nanyang. In his new role, he is entrusted with ensuring that the Secondary School curricula of Modified Cambridge and Cambridge IGCSE are implemented effectively across the school. Mr Govender believes that our student-centred approach not only garners good academic performance but also shapes the global citizens of the future.

Ms Catherine Adler, who was formerly Head of the English Department, has been promoted to the position of Senior Coordinator – Pastoral Care for our Secondary School at OWIS Nanyang. She believes that the IB Learner Profile is well-aligned with our Pastoral Care programme and student well-being initiatives. By learning about mindfulness, restorative practices and other such useful tools while in school, OWIS Secondary students will have the emotional intelligence they need to do well even post their schooling years.

Ms Sanhita Roy, who was formerly heading our Humanities Department, has been promoted to the role of IB Diploma Programme Coordinator. She has been teaching Geography at the Cambridge IGCSE and IB DP levels at OWIS, and has several years of experience in teaching Secondary students. She will bring her strong knowledge of the Diploma Programme, the examination process, and OWIS’s Pastoral Care Programme to create a positive environment where our pre-university students are stimulated to achieve their learning goals.

Early Childhood and Primary School Leaders at OWIS Nanyang

Clockwise from top left: Mr Karel van der Linden; Ms Rashmi Tourani; Ms Nur Syahdiqin Ismail;
Ms Nur Suhaili Abdul Ghapar; Mr Prem Kumar Rajoo

Mr Karel van der Linden has been promoted to Head of Early Childhood & Primary School. With 17 years of rich experience in international schools, Mr Linden joined OWIS Nanyang last year as Senior Coordinator for Primary School. In his expanded role, he will be in charge of the Primary and Early Childhood sections at OWIS Nanyang, ensuring that teachers have the support they require and that students get a positive start in their formative years in their schooling.

Ms Rashmi Tourani has been designated as the Senior Coordinator for Teaching & Learning in Early Childhood and Primary School at OWIS Nanyang, where we follow the IB Primary Years Programme (IB PYP). She was previously our PYP Coordinator and played a key role in our re-authorisation for the enhanced IB PYP. She will support teachers in delivering the curriculum and ensuring what is going on in the classrooms is to our expectations.

Mr Prem Kumar Rajoo has been appointed as Senior Coordinator for Pastoral Care for Early Childhood and Primary School at OWIS Nanyang. He joined OWIS Nanyang as a Grade 5 teacher last year. In his long tenure as an educator in Singapore’s public schools prior to OWIS, he has been a finalist for the MOE President’s Award for Teachers. He believes that young children can be guided to reflect on their actions and shift their mindsets to look out for others, and this is what he will be working towards.

Ms Nur Suhaili Ghapar, who our young learners call “Ms Lyn”, has been appointed as Early Childhood Coordinator. Having worked at OWIS Nanyang since 2018, she is well-versed in the requirements of our preschoolers and in the Early Years Component of the PYP curriculum as well. She will work closely with the other school leaders to ensure that our little learners enjoy engaging school days, while meeting their learning objectives through inquiry and play.

Ms Nur Syahdiqin Ismail has been promoted to the role of PYP Coordinator for OWIS Nanyang. While she was a Grade 2 & 3 teacher at OWIS Suntec in the preceding academic year, she has also previously been at the Nanyang campus. She has a Master’s Degree in International Education (IB PYP) from the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education (Australia), and she will leverage this knowledge and her experience to ensure the framework is implemented in its true form.

School Leaders at OWIS Suntec

Clockwise from left: Ms Irma Suryani Shahlan; Mr Adrian Deller; Ms Laura Coulter

Ms Irma Suryani Shahlan has been appointed as PYP Coordinator at OWIS Suntec. She has been teaching Grade 2 and 3 since the inception of the campus, which is an IB PYP Candidate School. A dedicated educator with experience of over 19 years, including at OWIS Nanyang, she will be responsible for ensuring the Suntec campus stays committed to the inquiry-based framework of the IB PYP in its journey to authorisation.

Ms Laura Coulter has been placed in charge of implementing our Pastoral Care Programme at OWIS Suntec. As Pastoral Care Coordinator, she will encourage students to realise their inner strengths and work towards their goals with a growth mindset. Ms Coulter taught Grade 4 and 5 at OWIS Suntec in the previous academic year, and this year, she will guide and support all the teachers to ensure student well-being is prioritised.

Mr Adrian Deller continues as Senior Coordinator for OWIS Suntec.

Commenting on the need for this new structure, Mr Mark Renie, Head of School, OWIS, said, “By changing the organisational structure of the school, we’ve provided Secondary and Primary with the opportunity to develop their own identities under the umbrella of the OWIS organisation. This will give our Secondary teachers the ability to effectively meet the needs of their students using age-appropriate methods, and it is the same with Primary. Having a Pastoral Coordinator within both schools ensures that student well-being and student care are always at the forefront. We can offer programmes that support not just their academic prowess but also their socio-emotional development. Having a Teaching and Learning Coordinator means that we have alignment within the three different school levels from Early Childhood to Primary to Secondary, allowing for a curriculum that is continuous, well-planned and rigorous. This supports students in realising their full potential academically.”

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