Beyond the Checklist: Building a Global Home at TAS

Sometimes, welcome begins with a simple question: Do you need help? Student Ambassador, Alicia H. '32, says that when she notices a new student looking stressed or nervous, she goes over and asks. “Usually they say they’re lost,” she says. For the 330 new students across 262 families who joined TAS this August, moments like these sit alongside the schedules, emails, assessments, and orientation sessions that make up the practical side of starting somewhere new. The larger goal is to help families move beyond navigating a new school and begin finding their place within its community. 

Before the First Day 

For families arriving at a new school, and in many cases a new country, uncertainty can begin well before the first day. Questions about where to find information, whom to approach, and what to expect are part of the transition. For Mr. Rick DaSilva, Director of Belonging and Social Impact, helping families navigate those questions is part of creating what he calls “psychological safety”: knowing that they can “ask questions, express uncertainty, and share who they are,” and that the community will respond with curiosity, care, and practical support. That work began before families arrived on campus. This summer, Admissions introduced a new parent welcome email campaign to connect with families before the start of school, answer questions, and introduce them to different aspects of the TAS community. Mr.Michael O’Neill, Director of Admissions, says the campaign was designed to “keep families connected to the school during the summer,answer questions they may have had, and help them feel more prepared for the start of school.” Throughout orientation, opportunities for students and parents to meet members of the community, ask questions, and begin building relationships helped carry those conditions into their first experiences on campus.

From Information to Relationships 

Mr. DaSilva says one of the clearest signs that this process is taking hold is when families “move from receiving information to forming relationships". That shift can be seen as newcomers begin to recognize familiar faces, know whom to approach, contribute to conversations, attend and participate in TAS events, and gradually see a place for themselves within the community. 

The Middle and Upper School parent meet-and-greet provided one opportunity for those relationships to begin forming among adults as well. Working in conjunction with the Director of Belonging and Social Impact, Admissions designed the gathering to move beyond simply sharing information with new parents and create opportunities for connection. “We hosted a Middle and Upper School parent meet-and-greet designed to welcome parents and facilitate making friends with other parents,” Mr. O’Neill says. “They used that opportunity to introduce themselves, explore common interests, and connect with other new adults in the community.” 

This year’s American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) family lunches offered one example of that intentional approach. AIT is the organization through which the United States conducts its relations with Taiwan, and some TAS families arrive in Taipei as part of an AIT assignment. Because these assignments typically last only a few years before employees are reassigned, these families may spend a relatively short time in the TAS community, knowing from the outset that another transition lies ahead.  

That timeline can shape what it means to be new. A student who expects to spend much of their childhood at TAS has many years for friendships, routines, and a sense of belonging to develop gradually. A student arriving for three years may be navigating many of those same transitions within a much shorter window, often while adjusting to a new country and knowing that another move may eventually follow. This makes early connection especially important. The goal is not simply to help families understand how TAS works, but to help them establish relationships, participate fully, and see that the time they spend in the community is meaningful, regardless of how long they will be here. 
 
The lunches brought together families navigating what Mr. DaSilva describes as a “shared but distinctive transition experience,” creating an opportunity for them to meet one another, hear from TAS and AIT representatives, and recognize that their particular journeys were understood. Even when a family’s time in Taiwan is limited, Mr. DaSilva notes that those years can still be deeply influential. “Our responsibility is to help them build meaningful connections from the beginning,” he says. 

Beyond Orientation 

Orientation, however, is only one entry point. Mr. DaSilva emphasizes that belonging develops through repeated experiences of “being known, supported, invited to participate, and able to contribute". Those experiences continue to matter once the initial excitement of August has settled into the routines of the year. 

“We cannot guarantee that every student will feel belonging in every moment, but we are responsible for creating and sustaining the conditions that make belonging possible,” Mr. DaSilva says. “That means continuing to listen after August, noticing when connection may be weakening, and responding thoughtfully to both the student’s needs and the environment shaping their experience.” 

Students Welcoming Students 

For students, that sustained structure can translate into greater agency and confidence, directly connecting the transition experience to the Schoolwide Learning Outcomes. In Middle School, Student Ambassadors are part of TAS’s broader student mentorship program, which connects new students with current students who can help them navigate campus, answer questions, and begin establishing peer relationships. Divisional counselors and Admissions support these programs, making peer connection part of the transition process rather than leaving new students to navigate it entirely on their own.  
 
Student Ambassador, Alicia H. '32, says she signed up for the role because she enjoys “helping out new people and navigating places". Her advice for new students is practical: “If they need help, they can always go to the counselor.” Whether a student is unsure about a schedule, looking for a classroom, or simply does not know what to do next, Alicia’s advice is to ask. Her role gives her the agency to notice where support is needed and act on it, turning welcome from an institutional idea into something students actively create for one another.  

Whether a student arrives at TAS expecting to spend three years here or thirteen, the need is the same: to feel known, to find their place, and to have opportunities to contribute. By pairing practical support with opportunities for genuine connection, TAS aims to help new students and families build those relationships early and, for however long they are here, making sure their time in the community feels meaningful.