Head of School Adrian Allan and Head of Middle and Upper Schools Lindsay Bowman have accepted invitations to speak at the 2023 Principals’ International Symposium at the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT). Ranked among the top 20 universities in China, BIT is widely considered to be one of the best engineering universities in Beijing. The Academy is Central Pennsylvania’s premier nonsectarian, award-winning, private, co-ed, Pre-K–Grade 12 International Baccalaureate World School.
The theme of the forum, which takes place from November 25-December 1, is “High-Quality Development of Basic Education and Cultivation of Outstanding Innovative Talent.” The forum offers an esteemed platform for high school principals to engage in meaningful discussion and exchange insights on these educational topics.
“I am honored and energized to address this high-achieving, international peer group in Beijing. My message centers on this question: What kind of mindset are you and your school building in your students? It is important to create young minds ready for inquiry. We need students to be confident risk takers and we need to teach students to be able to make mistakes and learn from them,” noted Allan. “When children are empowered with a growth mindset, they learn they can accomplish anything. They can persevere when frustrated and continually challenge themselves. Their effort and attitude determine everything.”
Allan said his love of learning was instilled from a young age by his father, a Cambridge University professor, and his mother, a professional cellist. He attended the private Leys School in Cambridge and furthered his studies at several top-tier universities including Leeds, Cambridge, Harvard and the University of Alabama. He spent eight years as the principal of the International School of Stavanger in Norway; 15 years as headmaster and president of Le Jardin Academy in Kailua, Hawaii; four years as headmaster of Chatsworth Hills Academy in Los Angeles, CA; and the last four years leading Harrisburg Academy.
“In Beijing, I will share with my international colleagues that I strongly support giving students agency in their learning process. Empowering each student to take an active role in their learning and development elevates success,” commented Allan. “When students accept ownership and responsibility for the choices and decisions they make as learners and creators, they are more highly active, engaged and motivated to achieve. These are the attributes we attempt to instill in our students at Harrisburg Academy. We nurture global citizens capable of leading and doing great things in the world.”
Lindsay Bowman is in her third year as the Head of the Middle and Upper Schools at Harrisburg Academy and has been with the Academy since 2013. Locally, she serves on the Board of the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg and the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies. She received her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership through the Klingenstein Center at Teachers College, Columbia University and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Dickinson College. In June 2019, Bowman was recognized as the Gilder Lehrman Pennsylvania History Teacher of the Year.
Bowman’s symposium address features a discussion on “Unpacking the Key Factors in Cultivating First-Class Innovators: Assessing Both the Advantages and Disadvantages in the Current Educational Landscape.”
“I am honored to have this opportunity to share the model for the Academy’s Centers for Experiential Learning and Innovation, and underscore the connections students make between the International Baccalaureate curriculum and its Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) component,” explained Bowman. “We instill in our students critical-thinking skills needed to solve complex problems and we nurture their talents for creativity and community service as future global innovators.”
This trip marks Bowman’s second educational journey to China. As an undergraduate student at Dickinson College, she completed a six-week summer study-abroad program at the Beijing Language and Culture University before going to Kunming in the Yunnan province.
NOTE: Adrian Allan and Lindsay Bowman are available for interviews prior to and after the conference at the Beijing Institute of Technology.
Harrisburg Academy’s Mission
Harrisburg Academy offers an academically challenging and globally minded interdisciplinary education. In our commitment to excellence, we provide tools, develop character, and teach skills that prepare students to thrive in college and beyond, thereby contributing to the betterment of our global and local communities. HarrisburgAcademy.org.