The International School of Havana began its existence in October 1965 as the Hillside School. Prior to 8 May 2003, the School had no legal status of its own. The ‘International School of Havana Foundation’ (the Foundation) was established as a not-for-profit foundation for an indefinite period of time. The Foundation’s purpose was to provide educational services at the International School of Havana, Cuba, in accordance with the Netherlands Antilles Law. In January 2018, ISH Global Education Ltd. was established in Tortola, British Virgin Islands to act as the sole Director of the ISH Foundation.
The School is managed by the Board of Directors (the Board), the highest governing body of the Foundation, in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation of the International School of Havana Foundation. The Board adopts by-laws which set out the allocation of duties amongst Board members and other bodies of the Foundation.
Key responsibilities of the Board include long-term strategic planning, financial oversight and ensuring the School’s long term viability and sustainability. It is also responsible for monitoring external factors that might affect the School’s financial performance.
The Board establishes the School’s mission, vision, policies and major programmes and supervises the activities of the School Director and all the Board’s committees. The Board’s purpose is to ensure that the School achieves its aims and goals and avoids any unacceptable actions and situations.
The Board appoints a School Director who has the delegated responsibility for the day-to-day administration of the School and acts as the Chief Executive Officer.
The Director reports to the Board and is responsible to the Board for the implementation and execution of all Board policies and for the direct supervision of all administrative, educational, recreational, and other functions of the School.
The Board shall be representative of both the diplomatic and non-diplomatic members of the international community. The Board has a minimum of eleven (11) members and shall contain not less than five (5) non-diplomatic members and not less than five (5) representatives of Diplomatic Missions, of whom at least three (3) are Heads of Diplomatic Missions. A simple majority of members must be parents of students attending the School. Vacancies within the Board shall in no way impair the powers of the Board and all powers shall be fully vested in the remaining Directors until such vacancies are filled.
Each individual Board member is a volunteer and takes on the Board workings for the benefit of the ISH community. Board members are not paid, nor do they receive any other benefits or gratuities from the School.
Members of the Board of Directors 2023/24:
H.E. Mr. Petr Kávan - Chairman of the Board
Mr. Per Hundevad - Member
Mr. Jose Ramon Vazquez - Member
Mr. Martin Spini - Member
Mr. Nico Van Dijk - Member
Ms. Janette Hollingbery - Member
Ms. Alexandra Oppmann - Member
Mr. Alexandre Carpenter - Member
Ms. Maria Mercedes Rodríguez Sarró - Member
Mr. Shahbaz M. Malik – Member
Ms. Hanna Lambert - Member
Mr. Chris Lynn - Member, Head of the School
The Board has the following standing Committees: the Governance Committee; the Finance Committee; the Evaluation and Appointments Committee.
All committees are ultimately accountable to, and work under the authority of the Board for a period of one year at a time (1 August to 31 July). The tasks, duties and membership of the Board committees are specified in the by-laws. Each committee examines matters of importance to the Board, to which they present their proposals for approval and refer their conclusions.
The PTSA Chair and the Teacher Representative are non-voting members of the Operations Committee.