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Student Support

AAIE Thrive By Design Community Hub

Connecting Leaders. Sharing Practices. Inspiring Inclusive Schools

 

Creating schools where every learner can thrive doesn't happen through a single program or initiative - it is the result of intentional leadership, thoughtful systems, and a community committed to learning together.

The AAIE Thrive By Design Community Hub brings together the ideas, experiences, and practical resources that support school leaders in strengthening student support services and fostering inclusive learning environments. Whether you are refining established practices or beginning new conversations within your school, this space offers inspiration, guidance, and tools grounded in the realities of international education.

Through stories from schools around the world, practical resources, and collaborative learning opportunities, the Thrive By Design Community Hub reflects AAIE's belief that some of our best ideas emerge when leaders connect, share openly, and learn from one another.

Our Belief

At AAIE, we believe that student support and inclusion are not the responsibility of one department - they are shared commitments that shape every aspect of school life.

Building inclusive schools requires collaboration among school leaders, teachers, counselors, learning support specialists, families, and students. It also requires curiosity, reflection, and a willingness to continually learn from one another.

The AAIE Thrive By Design Community Hub exists to support that journey by connecting leaders with practical ideas, shared experiences, and trusted resources that can be adapted to the unique context of every international school.

AAIE Thrive By Design Community Hub Curator


Meet Lauren Jones

The AAIE Thrive By Design Community Hub is built on the belief that some of the most valuable learning comes from one another. Lauren Jones has worked alongside international school leaders to capture stories of innovation, resilience, and growth while curating practical resources generously shared by schools across our global community. Together, these stories and tools reflect the collective wisdom of educators committed to building more inclusive schools where every learner can thrive.


 

A blonde woman with a nose ring smiles softly in the foreground against a plain brown background.
Lauren Jones is a global inclusion and leadership consultant who partners with schools and organizations to develop inclusive cultures and systems that support neurodivergent learners. Her work focuses on breaking down barriers to access and driving sustainable change in school systems. She has collaborated with a range of organizations, including the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, the National Geographic Society, Save the Children, and international schools across regions.  With a Master's Degree in Special Education and Post Graduate Studies at Harvard School of Business, Lauren has focused her learning on sustainable inclusion, embedded in the culture of communities.
 
An MSA Consultant,  CIS-affiliated consultant and published author, Lauren previously served as Head of School at the International School of Kigali, where she expanded access for neurodivergent students and strengthened student support services. Prior to her work in Rwanda, she led inclusive education initiatives at Qatar Foundation, creating programs designed to reach a broader range of learners.
Lauren has facilitated transformative collaborative projects, developing guidebooks for expanding inclusion for schools globally.  She is a Director for the non profit organization, The Guardian Project. She also led the development of a Sustainable Small Schools Guide in collaboration with the Association of International Schools In Africa. She leads board training and retreats and partners with schools to design and implement sustainable student support systems and programs. Lauren collaborated with the Middle States Association to revise their SEN Standards and served on the review team that developed joint accreditation standards across four major accrediting bodies.
 

With a whole-child approach at the heart of her work, Lauren is deeply committed to transforming school cultures and systems—empowering educators, families, and communities to reimagine what's possible for all learners.She meets communities where they are, developing clear, actionable plans to foster a more inclusive future.

Here is what you will find

Transformation rarely follows a single path, and every school's journey is unique. The best ideas are often those shared by colleagues who have faced similar opportunities and challenges. That's why the Thrive By Design Community Hub brings together both inspiring stories and practical resources from international schools around the world. Explore videos and school profiles that showcase leadership journeys, innovative practices, and lessons learned, then discover templates, policies, guides, and tools shared by schools to help you adapt ideas to your own context.

Storiesthatinspire

 

Stories That Inspire

Celebrating Success

Every school's journey is unique, but every story has the power to inspire. Explore videos and school profiles from international schools around the world as leaders share their experiences, innovative practices, and lessons learned in building more inclusive learning communities.
 
A green open book icon and the words %22Resource Hub%22 are in the background, while the foreground features a hand-drawn %22COMMUNITY%22 label surrounded by seven circular images of documents.

 

Resource Hub

Sharing Practices

Every school's context is different, but practical tools can help move meaningful work forward. The Resource Hub brings together templates, guides, examples, and planning resources from international schools to support leaders in building inclusive systems that meet the needs of every learner.

DISCOVER THE RESOURCES

Success Stories


 

Resource Hub


 

LJCInclusiveMessagingGuide

This Lauren Jones Consulting guide supports admissions and communications teams in reviewing and revising messaging to reflect and inclusive, strengths-based view of neurodiversity. Reframed language signals belonging, empathy, and opportunity to all families.

VirtualServicesList (PDF)

This document lists virtual service providers and professional organizations that offer online special education, therapy, learning support, and inclusion services for schools.

WhatVirtualServicesLookLikeVirtuallyConnected (PDF)

This document explains how Virtually ConnectEd delivers speech, occupational therapy, and special education services online through interactive, personalized sessions designed to support students’ learning and development.

VirtualServicesVirtuallyConnected (PDF)

This document lists the full range of virtual student support services offered by Virtually Connected, covering academic, therapeutic, behavioral, and specialized interventions for diverse learners.

QuestionandAnswerLinden (PDF)

The Linden Q&A explains how Linden partners with international schools to deliver flexible, hybrid student support services that expand capacity, reduce staffing burdens, and strengthen inclusive practices.

LaurenJonesConsulting (PDF)

Lauren Jones Consulting provides remote student support coordination and professional learning services to help small schools build sustainable, inclusive education systems.

GlobalVillageTutorsFlyer (PDF)

Global Village Tutors provides specialized virtual tutoring for students with dyslexia and ADHD, offering tailored literacy, math, and executive functioning support from trained educators.

CostEfficacyCaseStudyAnalyses (PDF)

Virtually ConnectEd outlines a clear, multi-step evaluation process that gathers information, assesses a child, analyzes results, and shares recommendations - with optional follow-up meetings at an extra cost.

CostEfficacyCaseStudyAnalyses (PDF)

This document illustrates how Linden’s service models help international schools reduce costs, increase efficiency, and expand specialist access through outsourced psychoeducational and therapeutic support.

Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (PDF)

The UDL Guidelines provide a framework for designing learning environments that promote agency by offering multiple ways for students to engage, access information, and express understanding.

SupportServicesAISJ (PDF)

AISJ provides tiered academic, language, and therapeutic support services with structured fees, staffing models, and placement processes to meet diverse learner needs.

StaffingandFundingModels (PDF)

This document provides an overview of student support staffing roles and the fee structure required to access varying levels of learning and language support.

Continue Learning

The AAIE Thrive By Design Community Hub is part of a broader commitment to supporting international school leaders through meaningful professional learning and collaborative community.

Ready to go deeper?

Explore the AAIE Thrive By Design Cohort, our interactive seven-session online learning experience where school leaders come together to explore inclusive leadership, strengthen student support services, and learn alongside peers from international schools around the world.

Learn More About the AAIE Thrive By Design Cohort

Discover AAIE

 

Join AAIE

Throughout the year, AAIE offers leadership learning, conversations, and our flagship event, the annual Global Leadership Conversation.

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 Our Community

Our unique global network focused on supporting international school leaders and their senior leadership team.

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 Our Events

Our annual event where School Leaders in international education come together to learn from one and another.

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