Dini Elected IBSC Board Chair

For nearly three decades, the International Boys’ School Coalition (IBSC) has been a leading champion for education. This year, the IBSC elected Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini to lead the organization as its latest board chair.

 

In 2022, when St. Mark’s hosted the IBSC’s Annual Conference, Dini spoke about the importance of the Coalition: “The IBSC strives to be the global voice for boys and for boys’ schools. We gather unified in one central purpose: to help good boys grow to be great men.” 

 

Dini’s – and St. Mark’s – involvement with the IBSC dates back to its founding. In 1995, shortly after Dini arrived, St. Mark's joined 18 other boys’ schools around the globe as founding IBSC members. Today, the Coalition includes over 300 member schools across 20 countries and five continents worldwide. 

 

Dini’s election caps off several years of leadership within the organization, including recent stints as Board Secretary, Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair. 

 

“As our coalition navigated unforeseen financial challenges during the pandemic, David adeptly steered IBSC to maintain its solid financial footing,” said Tom Batty, IBSC Executive Director, in a press release announcing Dini’s election. “A highly respected and much-loved leader in the community, his patient, humble, and professional approach is appreciated by all.”  

 

St. Mark’s faculty and staff have long taken an active role in the IBSC’s core mission of professional development. Each summer, a contingent of St. Mark’s teachers and administrators travel to the IBSC’s Annual Conference, hosted by a member school from across the globe. St. Mark's served as host school in 2004 and 2022. In addition to attending conferences, St. Mark’s teachers also present their best practices and participate in multi-year IBSC research projects.    

 

“It is a privilege to be able to educate others in what works best for us in hopes that they might have the same successes in their classroom,” said Middle School teacher Kendall Murphy, who contributed to the most recent IBSC Action Research Cohort. "It is equally important for us to listen to colleagues from other schools. All of us have come here to understand the best and most effective ways to educate our boys.”   

 

This past summer, a group of 15 St. Mark’s teachers and administrators traveled to the 2024 Annual Conference hosted by the Harrow School in London, England. 

 

“Our teachers know full well the value of our association with experienced educators across the globe,” Dini said. “I’m grateful that so many of our teachers have become actively involved with the Coalition, conducting research, making presentations, forging meaningful relationships, and sharing best practices for instilling courage and honor in all the boys we teach.”