Nick Bowley

Head of School

Nick Bowley

Nick holds an honours degree from the University of Cambridge (UK), and his teaching certification is from the University of London (UK). He gained a master’s in educational administration from the College of New Jersey (US), and in 2007 he participated in the Visiting Fellows’ program at the Klingenstein Center, Teachers’ College, Columbia University (US).

He has served as a teacher, principal, and head of school in international schools in East Africa, the Middle East and China. From 2001 to 2007 he was Director of the International School of Tianjin, following which he led BCIS as Interim Head of School for one year, 2007-2008. For the next eighteen months Nick broadened his knowledge of international education by traveling the world as an accreditation officer for the Council of International Schools before returning to BCIS as a full-time consultant in January 2010. He assumed the headship of BCIS in July 2010.

For many years Nick served as a trainer for the Principals’ Training Center (Miami/London), for which he helped develop an Advanced Course on school leadership. He has co-authored a book on school governance, and is currently writing a biography of Father Robin Lamburn, founder of the Kindwitwi leprosy center in Tanzania. Nick is a member of the Rufiji Leprosy Trust, which funds the work of the center.

He was an elected member of the IB Regional Heads’ Representative Committee, Asia Pacific region (2003 – 2006). In 2006-2008 he was a board member for the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS).

In 1993/94 Nick was awarded the Henry Bertness Award for distinguished service in the promotion of international education in Africa (presented by the Foundation for American International Schools). In 2007 he was presented with an Award for Special Contribution by the government of the Tianjin Economic Development Area, P.R. China.

Nick’s interests include writing, travel, and sport. He is married to another educator, Rhona Bowley. Nick and Rhona have three children (two teachers and a trainee doctor) and five grandchildren.

Julie Lawton

Elementary School Principal
Deputy Head of School

Julie Lawton

Julie is originally from Yorkshire, in the North of England. She gained her BA in German, Spanish and Business Studies in 1988 in the UK. She then went on to study for her Post Graduate Certificate of Education (Primary) and her TEFL/TESOL Diploma.

Julie's first teaching position was for 2 years as a Grade 2 homeroom teacher in a small school in her hometown. She then chose to head overseas and worked as a Grade 3 homeroom teacher for 2 years in Kuwait.  Julie moved to Beijing and joined an international school in 1996 where she held a variety of positions including G3, G4 and G5 homeroom teacher, G1-6 ESOL teacher,  Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator, Assistant Principal and in her final year was the Lower School Principal.

Julie was delighted to join BCIS as the founding Elementary Principal in August 2005.

Julie is a PYP Workshop Leader for the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO), which involves training teachers and conducting authorisation/evaluation visits in PYP schools within the Asia Pacific region. She also has attended several professional development courses at the Principal's Training Center in London.

Julie's three children, Jack, Finn and Molly, are students at BCIS.

Phil Clark

Middle School Principal

Phil Clark

Phil is originally from Wallasey, near Liverpool in the UK. He gained his Bachelor in Education Honours Degree from the University of Lancaster, UK in 1989. Phil was awarded a Masters in Education Degree from the University of Sheffield, UK in 2001. He also graduated from the Principals’ Training Center in 2008 and holds the Principals’ Certificate of International School Leadership.

Phil has been an educator for 20 years, as an elementary and middle school homeroom teacher, a middle school mathematics and science teacher, an IT coordinator, grade-level coordinator and, most recently a Middle School Assistant Principal. Phil has worked in international education for 17 years in Turkey, Kuwait and in Beijing, China.

Phil is an MYP Workshop Leader for the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IB), which involves training teachers and conducting authorisation/evaluation visits in MYP schools within the Asia Pacific region. Phil was also a member of the team responsible for reviewing the MYP Sciences curriculum at the IB Curriculum and Assessment Center in Cardiff, UK.

Phil’s wife, Amanda, is the Elementary School Assistant Principal at another Beijing international school.

Craig Rodgers

High School Principal

Craig Rodgers

Craig joins BCIS this year as High School Principal.  He has worked in IB schools for 14 years and been an international educator for 21.  He is passionate about student leadership, staff professional growth and strong collaboration with parents and the broader school community.  Already in 2010, Craig has been invited to present on a cutting edge Resilience Program for Senior Students at the IBAP Regional Conference, CIS Conference and AIE Conference.

In his previous school, Craig co-ordinated regional professional development days supporting excellence in student learning with themes as broad as specific learning needs, information technology, Habits for Highly Effective Teams, Peter Block’s Six Conversations, and which included parallel seminars on best practice for students, teachers and parents.  He established the Student Support Network for International Schools of Chiang Mai to promote a community of ideas, strategies, resources and learning.  He has promoted student leadership by encouraging and celebrating student led initiatives and a student sponsored merit system.  Students took leadership roles in the school’s Day Out program which purposefully linked curriculum, culture, community and service at all grade levels.  Another key initiative of Craig’s were parent forums which reached out to parents of different language groups with students in different grade levels to learn more from parents what school can provide to support the learning experience and ultimate school success for students and parents.  He has led and served on several committees including professional development, marketing, IT, student life, staff and finances.  He looks forward to building upon the foundations of good learning and leadership with students, parents, staff and the wider BCIS community.

Craig is workshop leader for IB Theory of Knowledge, assistant examiner for TOK and Mathematical Studies and has been a CIS accreditation team member.  Craig has a Bachelor of Science Education from the University of Melbourne has commenced a Master of Education with working thesis title: Being and Other Realities: Case Studies in TOK at the same university.  Craig enjoys squash, hiking, a little karaoke and being with good people.

Anthony Carman

High School Counselor

Anthony Carman

Anthony has been involved in education as a teacher and counselor for over 25 years across three continents and in a wide variety of contexts. Anthony is from Australia and is accompanied by his wife, Mary who is an ELL teacher at BCIS. Anthony has been involved in international education for over 10 years, working in schools in Vietnam, Germany and now China. Anthony graduated with a Masters of Education degree in School Guidance and Counseling from QUT in 1994. He also has a Bachelor of Education (High School Education and Psychology) from QUT and a Diploma of Teaching from Griffiths University (formally MGCAE) respectively.

Anthony's role at BCIS is as the High School Counselor. He leads the Guidance and Counseling programme that is designed to support student's academic and psycho-social progress through the high school years and to guide students towards admission to an appropriate university and university course. This is accomplished through personal and group counseling, the University Admissions Programme, academic advising, career advice and planning and working with the Learning Support teachers to ensure the best educational outcomes for all students.

Nick Bowley

Head of School

Nick Bowley

Nick holds an honours degree from the University of Cambridge (UK), and his teaching certification is from the University of London (UK). He gained a master’s in educational administration from the College of New Jersey (US), and in 2007 he participated in the Visiting Fellows’ program at the Klingenstein Center, Teachers’ College, Columbia University (US).

He has served as a teacher, principal, and head of school in international schools in East Africa, the Middle East and China. From 2001 to 2007 he was Director of the International School of Tianjin, following which he led BCIS as Interim Head of School for one year, 2007-2008. For the next eighteen months Nick broadened his knowledge of international education by traveling the world as an accreditation officer for the Council of International Schools before returning to BCIS as a full-time consultant in January 2010. He assumed the headship of BCIS in July 2010.

For many years Nick served as a trainer for the Principals’ Training Center (Miami/London), for which he helped develop an Advanced Course on school leadership. He has co-authored a book on school governance, and is currently writing a biography of Father Robin Lamburn, founder of the Kindwitwi leprosy center in Tanzania. Nick is a member of the Rufiji Leprosy Trust, which funds the work of the center.

He was an elected member of the IB Regional Heads’ Representative Committee, Asia Pacific region (2003 – 2006). In 2006-2008 he was a board member for the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS).

In 1993/94 Nick was awarded the Henry Bertness Award for distinguished service in the promotion of international education in Africa (presented by the Foundation for American International Schools). In 2007 he was presented with an Award for Special Contribution by the government of the Tianjin Economic Development Area, P.R. China.

Nick’s interests include writing, travel, and sport. He is married to another educator, Rhona Bowley. Nick and Rhona have three children (two teachers and a trainee doctor) and five grandchildren.