My experience in managing International Schools comes from Europe, mostly from Italy and Spain, as well as from my responsibilities with the Mediterranean Association of International Schools and various accreditation teams. Each school that I have had the privilege to lead had its own distinct program designed to meet the needs of the community that it served. Thus, I am fortunate in having a very broad background in the field of International Education.
It is through this lens that I first looked at GAIS and saw it to be a truly International School from every perspective, serving a dynamic and committed community of parents, students and staff. A tremendous amount of work has been done at GAIS in the recent past and it will be my goal to continue this momentum of growth, development and improvement into the new school year.
Director of Academics
Dominic Liechti
In my role as the Principal of a Junior High School in Zurich, Switzerland, I gained intensive experience in school development, staff development and education development. Previously, I had graduated from a private Teachers College in Berne with a degree in education through grade 9 and received my teaching practice as a homeroom teacher for grades 7 through 9 in a Junior High School. While teaching very heterogeneous classes, I learned how to foster students by using individualized programs and contracts. In addition, I successfully led them to continuing schools and educational programs. Beside school I established a non-profit organization with the objective to foster economically disadvantaged students.
In addition to my teacher degree I have a M.A degree in school and education management from the University of Zurich Applied Sciences. My responsibilities at GAIS include developing and improving the academic curriculum, implementing the MYP, providing in-service training, coaching the faculty in developing effective assessment tools, as well as other important duties as delegated by the Head of School. I'm also a trained MYP coordinator.
I am looking forward to collaborating with the administration and staff and bringing in my ideas and concepts effectively and efficiently.
Preschool Director
Heike Schmalstieg
I have been in the Bay Area for the last 20 years and started teaching at GAIS in 1994. I have taken a few breaks from the preschool to stay home with my two children. I am excited to be back full time, taking over the position as preschool director from Carol Ferrieri, who had taken that position 8 years ago, when I was pregnant with my first son. The preschool has always had a very enthusiastic and dedicated staff and I look forward to working with them again.
I have taught in preschools in Germany and the US and also taught German and English as a second language to children and adults in the US as well as in Japan. I love spending time with the kids. When I get the time I love reading, hiking and skiing.
PYP Coordinator
Maike Silver
I was born in Essen, Germany, and raised in the beautiful Ostseebad Laboe. As a competitive swimmer, I traveled and competed outside of the country. So it came as no surprise when I decided to come to California as an Au Pair after finishing an apprenticeship in a bank. Once here I met my husband and decided to go back to school to start a teaching career. In 1994, I started working in the preschool at GAIS. As the school decided to follow the path of becoming a PYP School I lead the effort in developing our Kindergarten program. In 2005 I was offered the position of PYP (Primary Years Program) Coordinator, guiding the school through the authorization process as an IB World School, a status we achieved in the fall of 2007. Currently I am also trained as a PYP workshop leader and participate as a member of authorization teams for new PYP Schools in the United States.
