STEPHANIE HANAMURA
Principal
Suma Ward, Kobe,Hyogo
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Head of Lower School and School-Wide Leadership Roles | WASC Coordinator
Marist Brothers International School
08.2021 - Current
- Led the school-wide IB PYP candidacy, managing the transition from a traditional to an inquiry-based curriculum by aligning staff practices and guiding parent understanding; supported MYP candidacy by collaborating with divisional leaders to ensure program coherence across K-12.
- Orchestrated the school’s WASC Self-study process, resulting in a 6-year Accreditation with a Mid-Cycle Progress Report and Visit, involving stakeholders from all divisions.
- Spearheaded school-wide curriculum alignment efforts, prioritizing Common Core.
- Collaborated with faculty and leadership across divisions to develop and implement the school’s first PYP Exhibition, fostering a school-wide understanding of inquiry-based learning.
- Managed teacher growth and evaluation, conducting observations and aligning feedback with instructional goals.
- Oversaw the school-wide adoption of ManageBac as the primary system for curriculum documentation and reporting, streamlining processes for all divisions.
- Led the research, introduction, and implementation of the Komodo Wellbeing Platform school-wide, establishing a system to monitor and support student social-emotional development across all grade levels.
- Led the implementation of Seesaw as the primary communication platform from EY - Gr 5, enhancing engagement and communication between teachers, students, and families.
- Strengthened school-wide parent engagement through initiatives such as Parents as Learners workshops and enhanced PTA involvement.
Extended Learning Leadership Team
Nishimachi International School
08.2018 - 08.2021
- Collaborated on the development of the school’s guiding statements, including the Graduate Profile, Definition of Learning, and Definition of Service Learning.
- Co-led the planning and implementation of the inaugural Grade 9 service-learning trip to Cambodia.
Representative
Round Square (RS)
08.2018 - 08.2021
- Identify and co-develop holistic opportunities that develop global citizenship and build student character.
- Act as a catalyst to effectively lead and support the development of high quality personal and academic learning opportunities for students Liaise with the community to build local and global connections.
Math/Humanities/Digital Skills
Middle Years Teacher
08.2019 - 01.2021
- Devise inquiry-based lessons that promoted conceptual understanding and student agency.
- Develop project based transdisciplinary units of inquiry.
Kindergarten to Grade 4
Primary Years Teacher Leader
08.2007 - 01.2010
- Facilitated inquiry-based learning experiences that connected students to real-world context, fostering creativity and critical thinking skills.
- Nurture the attitudes and attributes to build good character and the soft skills necessary to interact with others.
Kindergarten Early Years Teacher
Yoyogi International School
08.2007 - 01.2007
Primary Years Teacher, Grades 1 & 4
P.S. 92Q Harry T. Stewart Sr. School
08.2002 - 01.2006
Education
M.Ed. - International Education Administration
Endicott College Madrid
01.2019
M.S. Ed. - Education/Special Education
Touro College NYC
NYC, NY01.2006
B.S. - Elementary Education Pre-K–6/Mathematics
State University of New York at New Paltz
New Paltz, NY01.2002
Skills
- Strategic Instructional Leadership
- Curriculum Development & Alignment
- Faculty Development & Evaluation
- School Evaluation & Accreditation
- IB Programme Implementation
- Policy Development & Systems Design
- Change Leadership
- Communication and Collaboration
- Presenting and Public Speaking
- Planning and Problem Solving
- Persistence and Adaptability
Certification
- New York State Public School Permanent Teacher Certification
- PYP - Category 1 - Leading the Learning
- PYP Making the PYP happen: Implementing Agency Cat 1
- Google Certified Educator Level 1 & 2
- Child Protection for International Schools
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)
Timeline
Head of Lower School and School-Wide Leadership Roles | WASC Coordinator
Marist Brothers International School
08.2021 - Current
Math/Humanities/Digital Skills
Middle Years Teacher
08.2019 - 01.2021
Extended Learning Leadership Team
Nishimachi International School
08.2018 - 08.2021
Representative
Round Square (RS)
08.2018 - 08.2021
Kindergarten to Grade 4
Primary Years Teacher Leader
08.2007 - 01.2010
Kindergarten Early Years Teacher
Yoyogi International School
08.2007 - 01.2007
Primary Years Teacher, Grades 1 & 4
P.S. 92Q Harry T. Stewart Sr. School
08.2002 - 01.2006
M.S. Ed. - Education/Special Education
Touro College NYC
B.S. - Elementary Education Pre-K–6/Mathematics
State University of New York at New Paltz
M.Ed. - International Education Administration
Endicott College Madrid
Professional Leadership and Learning
- WASC Coordinator at Marist Brothers International School 2021 - present
- WASC Chair, Taiwan - 2025
- IB World Conference - 2024
- EARCOS Leadership Conferences - 2022, 2023, 2024
- PYP Category 1: Leading the Learning - 2023
- PYP Category 1: Making the PYP Happen - Implementing Agency - 2023
- WASC Visiting Committee Member - 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- AISH: Nurturing the Parent-School Connection - 2022
- CIS Training and Domain Leader - 2020
- M.Ed., International Education Administration - 2019
- CIS Symposia on Intercultural Learning - 2019
- Curriculum Design for International School Teacher Leaders - 2019
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FACILITATION
- “Raising Resilient Children” - Parents as Learners Workshop, 2025
- “Navigating the IB Journey” - Presented at the IB World Conference, 2024
- “Student Wellbeing” Parents as Learners Workshop, 2024
- PYP Parent Afternoon Sessions - Supporting Community During Candidacy, 2023-2024
- Universal Design for Learning, Harvard Zero Thinking Routines (internal School-Wide PD, 2024
- “Self-Regulation and Self-Reflection on Effective Leadership” Presented at Fukuoka International School Conference, 2023
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