August marks the beginning of a school year full of changes, and some of those changes are the new Heads of Section in both Primary and Secondary: Carlos Piñeres and Silvia Franco, respectively.
We share some insight into who they are and what they look to accomplish in their new positions.
Interim Head of the Secondary Section, Silvia Franco
With a career spanning more than 20 years, Silvia has been with the CCB since February 1999. She joined as a Secondary psychologist and spent 11 years in the position. She then became a section assistant in August 2010, working under five different heads.
At the end of the year 20-21 we said goodbye to Dr. Tracy Arnold who was Head for two years. The school set about the task of finding the best person to replace her, but having not yet found Tracy’s replacement, Silvia took on the position, understanding all the responsibility that goes with it.
“I feel very honoured by the trust the school has placed in me and the team. It was better to take on the position on an interim basis at this time and not to bring in someone new in a hurry or to make a quick selection, but to take the time to make a good pick”, Silvia told us.
She emphasises that one of the skills they are looking for in a head of section is a love of education. She firmly believes that love and passion provide an intangible force that is necessary to fulfil this difficult task.
She also noted how important it is to always be open to dialogue and recommendations, understanding the importance of teamwork and interdisciplinary work, and the support of all teachers, collaborators and parents.
“I will give my best. It is something I have always tried to do in my years and career at the CCB. I hope I can live up to the trust I have been given for this position. I will be working as a team, always listening to the people”.
We wish Silvia all the best in this new phase and we wish the Secondary Section every success under her leadership.
Another important change for the new school year is the promotion of Carlos Piñeres as the new Primary Head of Section. Carlos had been serving as assistant to the previous head, Diane Carcello, who retired from the position after almost two decades of leadership in the section.
Head of Section Primary, Carlos Piñeres
Carlos joined the school in 2003 as a Primary music and orchestra teacher. Carlos has a degree in Music from the Universidad del Valle and previously worked as a horn player in the Orquesta Sinfónica del Valle.
At the CCB, he worked as a music teacher for 11 years, during which time he was also in charge of the CCB Orchestra (which grew to 65 members!) and for two years he taught music in the IB Diploma Programme. During this time he was part of the team in charge of implementing the PEP programme, the Primary Years Programme, from scratch, giving him an in-depth knowledge of this IB Continuum programme.
In 2014, Diane offered him the opportunity to become a Primary Assistant, a position he held for 7 years. With Diane’s departure, the school opened an internal call for candidates to find a replacement. Carlos was chosen out of seven candidates to take the position. It is a great responsibility for him to take on such an important position and he is very grateful for all that Diane taught him.
“It is a great responsibility that I take on and even more so with all the legacy that Diane left us. A large part of my professional development was achieved thanks to her accompaniment, she allowed me to learn a lot as a person, and I owe it in large part to her to be able to be here. She is a fantastic person,” Carlos told us.
He also says that maintaining the status of excellence that the College has earned at regional, national and international level will be a challenge for this new position he is occupying. And we know that he will give his all to make Primary and CCB grow.
“I love teaching, being with the children, it is an energy that rewards you day by day. Seeing their joy when they manage to develop a skill or achieve a project is priceless. Seeing them grow and seeing them in their universities, in their jobs, seeing that they are successful, is something that fills you as a teacher and makes you feel that what you are doing is worthwhile,” said Carlos.
We wish him the best of luck in this new stage of his life. On behalf of the whole community we welcome him.
