Leadership Spotlight: Shary Lyssy Marshall
We are honored to have supported Shary Lyssy Marshall in taking a position as Deputy Head of School in August 2019 at the Bavarian International School gAG (Munich, Germany). In this feature, learn more about her journey in international education, experience with the ISS Administrative Search Team, and educational ethos.
Shary attended the University of Texas at Austin and studied applied learning and development. She has an M.Ed. from the University of Vermont in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and has also studied leadership and policy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Shary has just begun a doctoral program at the University of Kentucky. Her area research is school culture and classroom climate, with particular interest in the ways relationships impact learning for both students and educators.
Any interesting story about you that you would like to share?
As a child growing up in rural Texas, I collected stamps from around the world and wrote snail mail letters to penpals from places such as Australia, Finland and Austria. My family tells a story of my selecting a lunchbox with maps rather than the strawberry shortcake lunchbox popular with most of my kindergarten classmates. I am passionate about learning and understanding other cultures and perspectives. My work as an international educator has given me the great privilege of serving children and families from a variety of international schools.
Please share about your most recent/current role, as well as prior roles and experiences in international education.
I come to Munich with experience in schools in the far east (Taiwan, China), the Middle East (Israel), Central and Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Bulgaria) and from the United States.
Since 2001, I have served in a variety of leadership roles from Director of Teaching and Learning in the US and at the Anglo-American School of Sofia, Bulgaria, to Elementary Principal roles in Somers, Connecticut, USA and at AIS Israel. I also worked as a freelance journalist in the United States and continue to weave my love for writing into my personal and professional life.
Tell us about your education philosophy and your leadership style. What can the community expect?
I tend to move with ease between transformational and servant leadership styles. I am highly collaborative and infuse gratitude, authenticity and vulnerability in the day-to-day work of leading, inspiring, witnessing, and connecting our educational team, our learners, and our wider global community. I am delighted and inspired by my new school and community and find joy in the collaborative work of helping the school to evolve.
Why are you excited about this new role? What are your hopes?
The school’s motto of Believe, Inspire, Succeed, has been a particularly powerful match for my philosophy and approach to leading and collaborating. I have personally found inspiration in the strong and dedicated team at the Bavarian International School gAG as well as the ongoing focus on learning and growth. I also greatly appreciate the opportunity to be in a role that serves the community from supporting our principals and teacher leaders to working closely with the head of school.
And finally, what was the Administrative Search recruitment experience like for you?
I was grateful for the personalized connection I felt with representatives from ISS. I also felt that they were very much with me in the process of finding a perfect match between my new school and my strengths.
We appreciate you sharing your journey, Shary, and we’re wishing you and your community the best in the rest of the school year!
Find Shary on twitter to follow her journey and see more of her work at BIS. If you’re interested in pursuing a school leadership position, check out our current leadership searches. Our ISS Administrative Search Team is also ready to be in touch and help you learn more.