IBSC Ideas Lab
Professional Conversations for Deputy & Assistant Heads of Boys' Secondary & High Schools
Starting February 11, 2026
IBSC Ideas Lab invites deputy and assistant heads of boys’ secondary and high schools to connect virtually using Zoom. Limited to 14 participants plus the facilitator, this IBSC Ideas Lab includes three one-hour sessions for participants to discuss relevant topics.
Designed as an interactive exchange among colleagues, IBSC Ideas Lab engages dedicated educators who learn and grow together. Before each session, participants engage with relevant resources to provide a foundation for discussions. Together we surface fresh ideas and build mutual support structures and enduring professional friendships.
Available exclusively to IBSC member schools, first-time participants who can commit to joining all three sessions get preference in registration to support the success of each small group. No more than two participants from one school may register for an IBSC Ideas Lab.
In the spirit of open dialogue and collaboration, IBSC Ideas Labs are not recorded, allowing participants the freedom to express themselves openly and share their experiences candidly.
Who Should Attend?
Deputy and assistant heads of boys’ secondary and high schools
Format
IBSC Ideas Lab attendees participate in three scheduled one-hour calls using Zoom. Carla Boniolo, assistant principal, Westlake Boys High School (New Zealand), facilitates each session.
Conversation Topics
Conversation 1
Leading Change and Building a Cohesive Leadership Team
Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 3:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM GMT, 9:00 PM CET, 10:00 PM CAT
Thursday, February 12, 7:00 AM AEDT, 9:00 AM NZDT
Check the event time in your time zone.
60 minutes
From your unique position as an assistant or deputy head, how do you execute major school initiatives? Leading significant policy changes, curriculum reforms, or cultural shifts presents a perennial challenge to school leadership, especially when you are tasked with implementing a vision while managing resistance from all corners of the community.
Join a candid conversation with your peers to explore the most effective leadership approaches for those in the deputy role. Share your strategies for building consensus and driving initiatives forward. Also explore the critical, timeless work of forging a strong leadership unit. How do you, alongside your head, build the team's "brand" and ensure you operate as a cohesive, trusted, and effective team in the eyes of your staff and your boys?
Conversation 2
Balancing Tradition and Innovation in Boys’ Schools
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 3:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM GMT, 9:00 PM CET, 10:00 PM CAT
Thursday, February 19, 7:00 AM AEDT, 9:00 AM NZDT
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60 minutes
The tension between honoring your school's cherished traditions and embracing valuable innovation exists as a constant in education. As the leaders often charged with overseeing academic and student life programs, how do you make strategic decisions about what to preserve and what to evolve? How do you champion new pedagogical approaches while safeguarding the enduring values and unique identity that define your boys' school?
Engage in a dynamic conversation about navigating this critical responsibility. Learn from fellow deputies and assistant heads grappling with the same questions. Take this chance to collaboratively explore how to thoughtfully advance your school's program, ensuring your boys receive an education rich in heritage that fully prepares them for the world ahead.
Conversation 3
Cultivating Talent and Overcoming the “Arrival Fallacy”
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 3:00 PM EST, 8:00 PM GMT, 9:00 PM CET, 10:00 PM CAT
Thursday, February 26, 7:00 AM AEDT, 9:00 AM NZDT
Check the event time in your time zone.
60 minutes
As a leader deeply involved in faculty recruitment, management, and professional growth, how do you build a team that truly understands and connects with boys? The timeless challenge of attracting, mentoring, and retaining exceptional educators is central to your role. But what about their continued growth—and indeed your own? How do we combat the "arrival fallacy" and ensure that promotion to a senior role offers a new beginning for learning, not an end?
Share your experiences and learn from your peers in this vital discussion on cultivating human potential. Discuss practical, sustainable approaches to hiring and developing staff within the context of a boys' school. Explore powerful strategies for nurturing the ongoing growth of your entire leadership team, ensuring that you and your colleagues remain inspired, effective, and ready for the next challenge.
Registration
IBSC member rate: US $180
Cancellation Policy
If you are unable to attend, you must cancel your registration in writing by emailing IBSC@theibsc.org by January 28, 2026. IBSC will refund 90% of registration fees if a written request is received via email by this date. No refunds will be made for cancellations received after this date. Schools seeking to register an alternate to replace a participant unable to attend should contact IBSC@theibsc.org.
Please note: Watch your email for login information for this IBSC Ideas Lab by February 4, 2026. If you registered later than this date, watch for login information within 24 hours.
Participation certificates: Participants present for all three conversations will receive a certificate of participation within two weeks of the final session.
Facilitator
Carla Boniolo
Carla Boniolo is the assistant principal at Westlake Boys High School (New Zealand), where she is responsible for academic extension pathways, the NZQA Scholarship program, and guiding students with their applications to domestic and international universities.
Boniolo began teaching English at Westlake in 2017. She later gained valuable international experience teaching different curricula at two schools in central London before returning to Westlake in 2021. Upon her return she took on key middle leadership positions, including head of Level 2 English and head of the Level 3 English Extension program, leading curriculum development in both roles.
In addition to her leadership responsibilities, Boniolo is heavily involved in the school’s co-curricular debating program and has coached premier debating teams for several years. She holds a bachelor of aArts with a double major in English literature and sociology from the University of Auckland.