DAIS Elementary School Leadership Announcement

Announcement

Dear DAIS Community,

Over a period of ten years, DAIS has been blessed to have enjoyed the dedication, devotion, guidance and support of Mr. Peter Row as a well-loved member of our community.

In his various roles throughout his tenure including elementary teacher, curriculum leader and Elementary Principal for the past 5 years, he has constantly demonstrated his passion for high quality teaching and learning and his deep compassion for the staff, students and families of our community. 

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Mr. Row and his family will be leaving DAIS at the end of this academic year in June 2023. While the DAIS community will miss his enthusiastic presence, he will take up a leadership position at a prestigious school in South Korea.  

We thank Mr. Row for his long and devoted service and we will continue to value and celebrate his significant legacy and gift to our school. We all have immense gratitude for his dedication and hard work in creating a warm, caring and supportive environment for our Sea Dragons to learn and grow. 

Following an extensive and thorough recruitment process, it is my great pleasure to announce the appointment of Mr. David Jones as the new Principal at Dalian American International School starting in August 2023.  

Mr. Jones has spent the past 15 years in education as a Primary Years Program Coordinator, Grade Level Leader, Homeroom Teacher, Technology Integrator and most recently as the Elementary Curriculum Coordinator at DAIS, although our children may know him better as the Media Teacher, Librarian, or the Junior Journalists after school activity teacher. He is a global citizen who was born in the U.K., raised in Canada, and has enjoyed his journey into international education at schools in Seoul, Beijing, Changsha and now Dalian. He has a Postgraduate Degree in Primary Education from the University of Toronto, and a BA in Sociology and Communications Studies from York University. 

Mr. Jones is passionate about promoting 21st century skills, while encouraging students to develop a growth mindset, which will help them achieve their personal best in every aspect of their life. He believes a school should be a celebration of what students can do. Creating an environment that fosters creativity and innovation is one that will allow all students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways. It should be a place where their individual passions and talents are valued and encouraged. He is looking forward to making a positive difference here and providing continuity and stability in leadership. He is committed to this community and plans to be here for years to come.  

Mr. Jones enjoys photography, traveling and experiencing new cultures, as well as animal welfare. He is joined in Dalian by his wife Ms. Terry Saez, who is the Choral Music Teacher in secondary, in addition to three mischievous rescue cats. 

Additionally, we're proud to announce that Mrs. Robin Capozzoli, currently Grade 3 teacher, will take over the position of the Elementary Curriculum Coordinator at DAIS. 

Mrs. Capozzoli has been in education for twenty years and has worked internationally for over 10 years. She has served in several roles including curriculum, leadership, and teaching a variety of grade levels. She obtained her Bachelor of Science from the University of Houston. She then went on to receive a Master of Elementary Education. Later, she went to teach at the University of Georgia where she earned a Postgraduate qualification in Educational Psychology. She is a voracious reader, and her other interests include cooking and enjoying time outdoors.

Teaching internationally has allowed Ms. Capozzoli to visit 56 different countries and immerse herself in a variety of cultures. During her career, she has taught Grades 1-9, she has also taught at university level and in teacher training. She has also served as department chair, lead teacher, collaborated in writing curriculum, and as a literacy coach. She has extensive training and practice working with second language learners from countries around the world. She is looking forward to continuing to grow professionally at DAIS and honing her teaching craft.

Please join me in congratulating Mr. Jones in his appointment as the new Elementary Principal and Mrs. Capozzoli in her appointment as the new Elementary Curriculum Coordinator at DAIS. 

Warm regards,

Dr. Richard A. Swann

Head of School