In this hopeful midsummer, we are delighted to announce that Mr. Derek Lee Harwell has officially assumed the role of Head of School at KLIS, where he will lead all aspects of teaching, learning, and school management.
Over Three Decades of International Education Experience
With over thirty years of experience in international education, Mr. Derek's career has taken him across North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Prior to joining us, he had just completed a founding mission in Vietnam, where he built a middle school program from the ground up and led comprehensive revisions to child safety protocols and strategic plans. Tracing his footsteps further, he has served in international schools around the world—in Morocco, Rwanda, Tunisia, Nepal, Italy, the Netherlands, and beyond—in roles ranging from Principal and Head of Department. Each transition brought tangible results. In Rwanda, over two years, he increased enrollment by more than 30% while reducing teacher attrition to just 4%. In Rome, he led the school to successful PYP and MYP authorization. His eighteen year tenure at the International School of Amsterdam stands as a particularly deep and formative period, during which he developed portfolio based, student led parent conferences and implemented a school wide social emotional learning program. His journey began in the school classrooms of North Carolina, where he taught middle school and was honored as Teacher of the Year in 1994. Notably, Mr. Derek has also served as a member of the College Board/AP International Advisory Board and as President of the European League for Middle Level Education, giving him broad influence in international education policy and practice.
Academic Credentials and Professional Certifications
In terms of academic and professional qualifications, Mr. Derek brings equally strong credentials. He holds K 12 Administration and Supervision certification (including ISTE endorsement) from The Johns Hopkins University, Supervision and Leadership certification from the Principals' Training Center in Rome, a Master of Education in International Education from Endicott College, and a Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education (Cum Laude) from Appalachian State University. These ongoing professional pursuits have provided a solid theoretical foundation for his more than thirty years of educational practice.
Comprehensive School Leadership Capability
What Mr. Derek brings goes far beyond an impressive list of titles. In every critical area of school governance, he has demonstrated hands on, proven expertise.
Mr. Derek is not the kind of administrator who sits in the office poring over reports. He has led accreditation processes for internationally recognized bodies such as MSA, CIS, and IBO, which means he knows the standards of a good school inside out. He has revised child safety protocols, built a school-wide social emotional learning framework, and established a multi tiered system of support for students with diverse needs. He has managed technology hands on, covering everything from network upgrades to AI teaching tool deployment, and he spearheaded the implementation of makerspaces and robotics programs. He has also overseen rebranding and marketing strategies that helped more families learn about and choose his school. In short, he has practically been involved in every aspect of running a school, including strategic planning, curriculum development, teacher evaluation, campus safety, technology integration, and brand communication, and he has delivered excellent results in each area.
A Joyful, Safe, and Inclusive Community Centered on Students
In his own personal goal, Mr. Derek writes:
“Support learning in International Schools by developing a joyous, safe, inclusive learning community that supports all learners by leveraging my experience in international education, technology integration, SEL, curriculum development, safeguarding, and student leadership.”
This is the very principle that has guided his over thirty year career in education, and it is also his solemn commitment to KLIS.
We believe that Mr. Derek’s arrival will bring our students a broader global perspective, stronger academic support, and a warmer, more nurturing environment for personal growth. He will also lead our entire faculty and staff in continually elevating the quality of teaching and learning, deepening home school partnerships, and making the school a fertile ground where every child can flourish with confidence
