CDNIS has a new Lower School Vice Principal – Dr. Karen Lindner! Dr. Lindner has years of experience teaching and engaging with students of all ages, and is an excellent addition to our school’s leadership team. Join us as we take a deeper look at her rich educational background and her hopes for CDNIS as one of our newest members.
Dr. Lindner grew up in Australia with a passion for education. By Grade 10, she aspired to become a music teacher, and pursued a Bachelor of Music and teaching for her undergraduate studies. She eventually qualified as an elementary school teacher and has worked with a range of students throughout her career. Prior to joining CDNIS, Dr. Linder worked in Indonesia and mainland China, where she held the position of Vice Principal at the Western Academy of Beijing. After leaving Beijing, Dr. Linder found CDNIS to be a perfect match for her, with a “tangible” and fulfilling sense of school community. The school’s emphasis on its students’ well-being and the formation of a tight-knit community, exemplified by the presence of faculty members responsible for student life and well-being, stood out to Dr. Linder, prompting her to apply for a position at CDNIS.
As the Lower School Vice Principal, Dr. Linder works closely with Mr. Erickson and Mr. Staffa. Her role is to analyse and support the character development, well-being, and connectedness of students. This includes talking with Lower School children about their actions and behaviours, teaching and coordinating the Second Step program, and arranging and supervising Lower School field trips, camps, and clubs. Her work is key to the development of Lower School students, facilitating their ability to collaborate and communicate with their peers. Dr. Lindner believes these skills are indispensable to everyone in all stages of life, reflecting: “I was trying to think the other day of any job where you get to work by yourself all the time, you just don’t. You have to get good at collaborating if you want to be successful in your career.”
As this is her first year at CDNIS, Dr. Lindner would like to embrace and familiarise herself with the sense of community that initially brought her to the school. As a new member of the community, Dr. Lindner is “at the front of the school every morning, getting to know families and greeting students as they come into the school”. She has also joined the community choir, where she is eager to build connections with others.
Dr. Lindner’s objective for the Lower School is to enhance the students’ socio-emotional learning and character development. She also aims to push forward service learning, believing that “there’s a tangible sense of the bigger picture in that context at the school that I’d like to keep moving forward.”
Her message to the wider community is a heartening one: she encourages everyone to greet each other in the corridors, be fun and energetic, and to connect with each other. Dr. Linder strongly believes in the IB Learner Profile, and often uses them to encourage students to become a better version of themselves. She would also like to see more student-driven initiatives, hoping that students will “keep having ideas and keep doing things” to take advantage of the support and extensive opportunities offered by the school. As Dr. Lindner says, “If you’ve got a choice, don’t sit back and say no; step forward and say yes.”.
Let us all welcome Dr. Lindner to the school, follow her message to embrace the joy of learning, and extend our happiness and sense of community at CDNIS!
