Our Mission: Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN) offers a home to anyone committed to healthy transitions and attachment security. We connect, equip and refresh transitions-care providers.

At Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN), we find ourselves looking back on 2022 with gratitude. For SPAN, it was a year of sustained growth. 

• We connected with teams and individuals worldwide, and initiated and strengthened partnerships as we deepened our understanding of transitions-care and building safe attachment cultures. 

• We refreshed our views on what it means to care for students, families and staff in the highly mobile environment of international education. 

• We equipped schools and educators around the world with tools and resources that help them create and sustain the best learning environments for all.

Join us and read about our celebrations of 2022 in brief:

Laws of Transitions Certificate Course

“Essential for good learning! There is connection with the facilitators, and also with other participants. The questions and activities support the learning goals and are grounded in research to enhance the learning experience. This has been well thought through and I appreciate it.” 

SPAN Laws of Transitions Certificate Course Alum

We have seen that transitions-care work can be more successful in teams, so bolster your school’s efforts by enrolling more members of your staff in our next SPAN Laws of Transitions Certificate Course, beginning on January 30, 2023. 

Take advantage of the Early Bird Discount before December 9, 2022.  

SPAN Symposium - March and October 2022

The SPAN Symposium brought together transitions-care professionals, educators, parents and alumni students from schools around the globe in both March and October this year. 

Key features of the SPAN Symposium: 

• Keynote addresses from Doug Ota, Ruth Van Reken, and Rami Madani

• Sessions on attachment security, belonging and transitions-care in schools

• Meaningful Q&As 

• SPAN Showcase schools (ISKL and ISL)

• Networking opportunities 

With the support of SPAN Supporting Member, the Council of International Schools (CIS), a significant highlight was the session ‘What is the CIS Accreditation Standard E5 and how is it being implemented to actively support students and families in transition?’ by Leo Thompson, CIS Support and Evaluation Officer. You can find his excellent A-Z summary of successful ideas and initiatives here. 

The lively vibe of the SPAN Symposium discussions and deep dives continues in international school communities across the globe and amongst our SPAN Team. 

“I enjoyed the case studies of schools and school leaders and seeing how they develop transition programmes. Alumni voices gave us a needed, different dimension to our thinking. [I also enjoyed] CIS’ input from accreditation visits.”

- SPAN Symposium Participant
 

“I loved the entire programme and was fully engaged throughout. The Keynotes were spot on and I enjoyed how we had new voices heard in the sessions.” 

-   SPAN Symposium Participant

Supporting Member

In February 2022, SPAN became a Council of International Schools (CIS) Supporting Member. CIS is a membership community that includes more than 1300 schools and universities. We are working with CIS to highlight the importance of transitions-care, advance research in this area, and provide support to our members as they in turn support their communities. This past November, members of the SPAN Team attended the CIS Global Forum on International Admission & Guidance in Madrid.

The Nest

Every first Thursday of the month, we love to take a break in The Nest. Throughout the year we engaged with so many transitions-care providers in conversations around important subjects. We took the time to listen to each other and to continue to weave a supporting network with our colleagues around the world. This has helped us all connect and refresh in times which are proving to be increasingly difficult, globally. In the year to come we hope to see more of you and your colleagues in ‘The Nest’.

The strength of our network lies in each of us showing up.

Looking Ahead

 
Our training courses, SPAN Symposium and gatherings in ‘The Nest’, will continue in 2023. Please do share our website and this newsletter with your colleagues in schools across the globe, and consider SPAN Membership (see details below) as well as SPAN Training & Consulting opportunities for your professional learning for 2023.

Would you also like to be a SPAN Member School?

SPAN Member Schools and Organizations believe in the value of positive transitions-care. They choose to invest in SPAN because they are committed to healthy transitions, attachment security and the empowerment of training within and across schools and organizations. Through access to SPAN’s expert training, resources and network, they find a home where like-minded people connect, support and encourage one another while feeling equipped and refreshed to continue their important work.

Supporting SPAN's Values

Safe Passage Across Networks (SPAN) is a non-profit organization, registered in the Netherlands, which is led by a Governing Board and whose operations are run by a Management Team, on a volunteer basis. 

• Do you or your school believe in the SPAN Mission?

   

• Would you like to show your support for the volunteer work that SPAN is undertaking in the world of education?

   

• Do you need to access Resources, including archives of "The Nest" episodes and lesson plan ideas?

   

• Did you notice that all SPAN members get exclusive discounts to any events, including our future SPAN Symposium and Certificate Courses?

   

• Are you interested in connecting with other transitions-care supporters from around the globe? 

Become a SPAN Individual Member!

It's an easy 1-2-3-click to step up from being a member of our website.

Any school or organization can become a SPAN Sponsor for SPAN events, activities and services. SPAN will recognize Sponsors within the program you choose to support. Find out how your school  or organization can continue to support SPAN by sponsoring future events, here. Would you like to know how your school or organization can continue to support SPAN by sponsoring future events? Find out more here:

“We hold the key to lasting happiness in our own hands. For it is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” 

- Brené Brown