Sara's CV
Sara C Stillman
School Principal | Education
Profile summary
Strategic School Principal with 20 years shaping education outcomes across international markets including GCC experience. Known for campus operations, safeguarding compliance, curriculum transformation, and enrolment growth. Committed to driving academic excellence and institutional development through cross-cultural team leadership and operational alignment.
Career highlights
Campus Operations and Growth: Led campus-wide operations, English academics, recruitment, and strategic planning while driving enrolment growth of over 100% within one academic year through strengthened operational alignment and stakeholder engagement.
Curriculum Leadership: Managed school operations in collaboration with the Vice Principal while leading a team of 14 teachers and the SEN department, aligning English curriculum to standard frameworks across grade levels.
Safeguarding and Accreditation: Led Standard 1 for Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment for COBIS accreditation across two campuses, acting as Designated Safeguarding Lead and managing child protection protocols.
Curriculum Transformation: Led curriculum transformation and international expansion for a major education brand, aligning programs with international standards and managing cross-functional teams.
Key skills
Professional experience
Reports directly to the governing board while directing campus-wide operations, English academics, recruitment, and strategic planning. Provides executive operational oversight encompassing governance alignment, risk management, and school improvement planning across two campuses.
- Drove enrolment growth of over 100% within one academic year through strengthened operational alignment and stakeholder engagement.
- Leads Standard 1 for COBIS accreditation across two campuses.
- Collaborated with HR to formalise compliance systems, including recruitment frameworks and institutional documentation standards.
- Strengthened cross-functional coordination with admissions and marketing to support sustainable institutional growth.
- Advanced health, safety, and operational protocols in collaboration with internal committees and leadership teams.
Shaped early years education delivery for infants and toddlers using the Oxford International Early Years Curriculum. Stepped into an academic campus lead capacity during the Head Teacher absence, directing daily operations and staff support. Held the post of Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Stepped in during a maternity cover to teach young children.
Defined English and Languages strategy across Kindergarten through Secondary, steering department operations, curriculum alignment, and instructional leadership while teaching full-time across multiple grade levels.
- Steered operational decision-making across staffing, scheduling, and resource allocation to support scale and continuity.
- Managed safeguarding protocols, campus-wide behavior training, and pastoral care in coordination with the School Counselor.
- Directed school community navigation through regional disruption by implementing shelter-in-place protocols, online learning transitions, and campus relocation.
Steered academic reform and cultural transformation aligned with the Finnish model, managing daily school operations alongside the Vice Principal while guiding a team of 14 teachers and the SEN department.
- Aligned English curriculum to the National Geographic Learning curriculum and Common Core across grade levels while delivering direct instruction in Grades 3 to 8 and modeling teaching practices.
- Coached teachers-in-training through regular observation, feedback, and modeling of instructional strategies while adapting leadership approach to navigate school culture.
- Designed and led school-wide teacher training, including a multi branch intensive training week, and embedded social emotional learning across curriculum and evaluations.
- Redesigned the complete curriculum to integrate digital learning, project-based learning, social-emotional learning, and international technology standards.
- Built and launched an online learning platform during the pandemic, overseeing staff recruitment and system implementation.
- Taught literacy programs and led holiday camps for early learners to upper primary.
- Managed company social media presence on Facebook and Instagram while boosting engagement.
- Designed learning plans tailored to individual needs.
- Targeted practice and revision to develop students' abilities in speaking and writing.
- Evaluated students written and spoken work, delivering direct feedback to address specific language errors.
- Conducted targeted assessments of student communication abilities and provided constructive criticism on assignments.
- Created curriculum for a start-up school from the ground up.
- Built rapport with students, incentivising engagement and interaction during class.
- Tailored curriculum and instructional methods to accommodate varied learning styles.
- Applied instructional approaches, experiential learning, and self-assessment to increase retention and understanding.
- Established positive classroom environments that supported student engagement across all age groups.
- Related course material to students personal interests and previous experiences.
Education
Curriculum & Instruction, General Curriculum & Instruction
- Lawrence, Kansas
English Literature and History
- Canada