Head of School Parent Gathering Highlights Belonging, Purpose, and Student Agency in Action

On Thursday morning, February 12, families gathered in the Lower School Library for the latest Head of School Parent Gathering, an ongoing series designed to bring parents into deeper conversation about teaching, learning, and student growth at Taipei American School. This month’s session, titled Enduring Learning in Action, focused on how belonging, service learning, and authentic engagement help students develop a sense of purpose and agency, while highlighting how deep learning often emerges when challenge and support are intentionally balanced.  

Grounded in TAS’s mission to cultivate an enduring commitment to learning, personal well-being, and service, the session explored how meaningful educational experiences extend beyond content knowledge. Rather than focusing solely on memorization or performance, the school’s approach emphasizes transferable skills, habits of mind, and the confidence to apply learning in real-world contexts. As highlighted during the presentation, enduring learning is not just what students know, but what they carry with them as they grow into independent thinkers and contributors. 

Head of School, Mr. David Frankenberg, and Mr. Rick DaSilva, Director of Belonging and Social Impact, guided families through the role belonging plays in shaping student engagement, noting that research and student experience data consistently show students engage deeply when they feel known, supported and connected; recent survey data reflected this trend, with 57% of Middle School students and 51% of Upper School Students reporting high belonging, alongside 70% and 79% respectively identifying a trusted “go-to” adult – reinforcing school’s view of belonging not as a standalone initiative, but as a foundational condition that enables intellectual risk taking, exploration, and ownership of learning.  

“When students feel that they belong, they are more willing to try, to stretch, and to contribute,” Mr. DaSilva emphasized. This sense of connection builds the conditions for deeper learning, motivation, and growth, and helps students develop both confidence and resilience. 

A highlight of the gathering was hearing directly from Upper School student Sophie H. ’26, who shared her personal journey of discovery through robotics, research, and service. Sophie spoke about how her interests evolved over time, from early participation in speech and debate to becoming captain of the robotics team and pursuing independent research in artificial intelligence. 

Her experiences extended beyond the classroom. Motivated by a desire to create meaningful impact, Sophie founded robotics outreach programs that partnered with schools and organizations across Taiwan, helping younger students access hands-on STEM learning opportunities. Through these efforts, she helped establish mentorship models, trained student leaders, and expanded programming nationally. She noted that in some partner communities, students began envisioning educational and career possibilities beyond traditional pathways – a hopeful reminder of how access to experimental learning can broaden horizons and aspirations. Her work reflects the intersection of technical curiosity and social impact, as she continues to develop assistive technologies and explore how engineering can serve others. 

Reflecting on her journey, Sophie emphasized that growth often happens outside of comfort zones and that having the freedom to explore different interests played an essential role in shaping her path. She credited her mentors, teachers, and family for supporting her independence and encouraging her to pursue what genuinely interested her. 

Her story offered families a powerful example of what student agency looks like in practice. When students are given the opportunity to explore, make choices, and take initiative, they begin to see themselves as capable of creating meaningful change. 

The gathering also invited parents to reflect on their own role in supporting their child’s development of purpose. By encouraging curiosity, allowing room for exploration, and emphasizing growth over outcomes, families help create the conditions where students can develop intrinsic motivation and ownership of their learning. 

These conversations reflect TAS’s broader vision of education, one that prepares students not only for academic success, but for meaningful lives as engaged learners, compassionate citizens, and globally minded contributors. Through aligned curriculum, strong relationships, and opportunities for authentic contribution, the school continues to support students in discovering who they are and how they can make a difference. 

As the Head of School Parent Gathering series continues, these conversations reflect TAS’s ongoing commitment to ensuring students feel known, challenged, and empowered – conditions that allow learning to extend beyond academics into purpose, contribution, and lifelong growth.