Appointments for 2016-2017: Weiss, Davis, Galvez and Byck

Dear SSIS Faculty –

We are pleased to share with you some of our recent hires for the 2016-2017 school year. It is a testament to the school that you have helped build that we enjoy an excellent reputation within the international community and find a wealth of individuals who are eager to come and share in this work.

Kristin Weiss ES Classroom Teacher

Brennan Davis ES Classroom Teacher

Thomas Galvez HS Technology Learning Facilitator

Christopher Byck HS Social Studies/Economics

Kristin Weiss

Kristin Weiss earned a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Northern Colorado, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Bilkent University, and a Arizona Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education and English as a Second Language.  Kristin has been a grade 5 teacher in Arizona for seven years, a grade 4 PYP teacher, grade level lead, and science fair lead at Bilkent Laboratory and International School in Turkey for four years, and grade 3 English teacher at Qatar Academy Al Khor in Qatar for two years.  Kristin joins SSIS this summer with her fiance Brennan Davis.

Brennan Davis

Brennan Davis earned his Bachelor’s degree in English (summa cum laude) from Lewis University in Illinois, and his Master’s of Science in Elementary Education (with distinction) from Mercy College in New York, and his New York Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education and Bilingual Education.  As a New York Teaching Fellow, Brennan has taught kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, bilingual special education, and grade 6 language arts in New York.  He was a grade 4 PYP and grade 2 PYP teacher at Bilkent Laboratory and International School in Turkey for four years, and a grade 2 English teacher at Qatar Academy Al Khor in Qatar for 2 years.  Brennan is fluent in Spanish (born and raised in Venezuela) and speaks intermediate Turkish.  He joins SSIS this summer with his fiance Kristin Weiss.

Thomas Galvez

Thomas Galvez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from San Diego State University and a Master’s of Education from National University in Cross-Cultural Teaching and Educational Technology. He as taught IB Computer Science, IB Geography, IB Theory of Knowledge, and IB Psychology as well as courses in sociology, photography, history and humanities. Most recently he has served as a technology integration specialist at the Shekou International School in Shenzhen, China, and the American Community School of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Thomas joins SSIS this summer with his wife and one-year-old daughter.

Christopher Byck

Chris earned a Bachelor’s degree in politics from Marymount University before moving to the City University of New York where he took his Juris Doctor. From there he decided to go into education and attending Eastern University for his Master’s in Education. After teaching Humanities and serving as a special education teacher in the Philadelphia School District for four years, Chris took on the challenge of teaching IB Economics and Theory of Knowledge at the American School of Caracas. After four years in Venezuela he moved to take up the role of AP Economics instructor at  King’s Academy in Jordan, a private, independent school founded by HM King Abdullah II in close philosophical affiliation with “The Eight Schools” of the US: Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Exeter, Hotchiss, Lawrenceville, Northfield Mount Hermon and St. Paul’s. Chris will arrive in Saigon with his fiance, Nicole.

Please join Dan, Molly, Jacob and me in welcoming all our new hires.

Sincerely yours,

Mark Sylte, Head of School