DIS Profile

Note: The previous two weeks, we’ve shared our conversation with incoming Head of School Mr. Jacques Weber. This week, we provide our final installment of the Q&A series.

The Globe: Last week, you spoke about our mission and how it should really serve as a roadmap for keeping us focused on doing the things that we do well. Beyond the mission, how would you define us–or at least what we should be?

Mr. Weber: A hallmark of what we have here is our language program and often when people think of an international school, that’s what they think of: languages. But I try to remind people that we are not just a language school. In truth, languages are incidental to what we do; they’re not what we are. We are a premier academic institution that teaches in different languages. But we’re developing artists, mathematicians, scientists, strong writers, strong readers, great thinkers–you know, well-rounded people–people who are going to speak several different languages. So, our focus isn’t solely on the foreign languages; it’s on the academics. It just happens through languages in a very authentic way. So, we’ll graduate someone who can go to work in France and really understand the way a business culture works in France–to translate ideas, to mediate conflict–all things you learn through languages and academics in this type of school. The languages themselves are incidental– it could just as well be Italian, Arabic, or Quechua. The ability to switch between cultures and languages supported by strong academics–that’s really at the heart of what we do.

The Globe: Can you drill a little deeper into the academic component of what you just said and tell us how you think that sets us apart?

Mr. Weber: It’s the authenticity driven by our international background and our community. We’re having real conversations about real world issues every day, and our students are applying that knowledge to their learning. And developing those real-world skills will translate into doing very well in class and on exams. We also have small class sizes led by teachers who care deeply about each and every student. That’s what I grew up with and that’s what I want every one of our students to have. I tell my parents all the time how thankful I am for the gift of an international education. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I’m very grateful that they put me through an international school because I think that beyond great book knowledge, it gives you a different perspective on the world. I go back to my alma mater today and there are still people there who I know; the high school principal who was there from even before I was born just retired last year. Six of my closest friends I’ve known since I was three years old, in Petite Section–that’s the kind of meaningful authenticity that I want to make sure we give every student here.

The Globe: What excites you most about being here?

Mr. Weber: We have so many opportunities. The school is just ripe for opportunities, with a strong foundation, a strong reputation, solid growth–and I haven’t always gone into schools that are on a growth path. We’re growing–and, unlike some industries, growth doesn’t necessarily have to be strictly quantitative. It has to be about quality. I would say we have the opportunity to grow in quantity with quality. And our priority will always be quality. I’ve been in a school at times when we had to slow down and put the brakes on enrollment. We can’t be as good as we need to be when we’re absorbing too rapidly. In some instances, that means moving to waitlists, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing because you want to keep your quality always high and truly be that school that everybody wants to get into. I’m excited that we have a really great admin team here that can handle building the school and keeping the quality up.

The Globe: Lastly, what’s your vision for the future of DIS?

Mr. Weber: The years ahead for us are going to be years of stability, years of strengthening, years of consolidation, and years of partnership. There will always be things to keep me up at night, but those are just problems to be solved–and I’m a pretty good problem-solver. By the time a problem works its way up to me, they’re usually the most difficult or challenging, but I tend to like those the most. We’re building something together; we’re building this plane in flight. So, if there’s going to be any kind of key theme for me, it’s that I want everyone to know that they’re free to get up and move about the cabin. We’ll have stability and strength. That will be my focus for as long as I’m here.