Academic Leadership

With over 15 years of development, implementation and executive leadership experience in education, he has worked to build some of the most awarded and most widely used educational products globally. He is on a mission to help build and scale the best ideas in PreK-12 education. While comfortable in various leadership roles, his greatest strength is leading people and products toward a more meaningful impact on the world they serve.In addition to his experience in the private sector, Patrick’s work has spanned the areas of community and behaviour-based safety, psychiatric rehabilitation, assessment design, and software architecture. Patrick received his MA in applied behaviour analysis from the Chicago School and studied psychology and economics as an undergraduate at Hofstra University in New York.

Through his roles as an educator and school leader, he has deep knowledge of developing and implementing curricula ranging from the IB PYP and IB DP to the National Curriculum of England, the Cambridge IGCSE and the Shanghai Formed Curriculum.Mark believes that the way forward in education is to ensure that the learning approach is student-centred, engaging and experiential, including the use of technology. As a leader, he envisions a collaborative process for the entire staff, which empowers everyone to co-create a learning ethos where students can thrive and attain their true potential.Mark has a BA in Sociology and Labour Studies from York University, a PGCE from Sunderland University, and an MEd in Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development from the University of Toronto. More recently, he received his Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

A multi-award-winning educator, Melissa has been responsible for qualitative learning of students, professional growth of teachers and staff, as well as academic excellence and quality in education. Her zest for green initiatives and innovation has led to several recognitions for GIIS. She is committed to ensuring that students and staff remain current and relevant and are prepared for the 21st century. This passion has led to the introduction of several new programmes and activities which have been recognised at national and international levels. She has helped develop curricula for various Kindergarten and Value-Added programmes in schools, conceptualised programmes for the better benefit of students like computing Happiness Index, and served in various important positions of an assessor, auditor, innovator, project lead and mentor.  Melissa has actively pursued community integration activities and outreach toward the less fortunate in society and has been recognised by the Singapore government for her contributions. Melissa has a Master of Arts (History) from Mumbai University and a Bachelor’s in Education from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. She has completed the Educational Leadership Programme from the Centre for Education Management and Development in New Delhi, India, and an Educational Management programme from SNDT College Mumbai, India. 

Mr Hayter began his leadership career in 2006 as a school principal in his hometown Toronto, Canada. Since then, he has chosen the world of international education and has held senior leadership positions in Colombia and Morocco before joining Dwight in South Korea.

He believes that the best learning environments for students occur when the students are engaged in real-life practical activities and experiences. These authentic experiences allow students to better comprehend the world around them and provide the opportunity for teachers to actively engage with students in their learning. He further believes that a successful and preeminent educational organisation strongly supports and advances staff development and leadership growth.

Mr Hayter holds a BA in Economics from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Education from Griffith University in Australia.