Primary School

Dear GWA Families,

I am very excited to join GWA as the new primary principal. I have nearly 30 years of experience as an educator, and have served as a primary principal at schools in Colorado and in Istanbul for the past 21 years. Prior to becoming an administrator, I worked as a School Psychologist. I have a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. 

My educational philosophy is grounded in the belief that we are most successful when we work together as a school community to do what is best for the students at our school. I believe in shared leadership and working in partnership with parents to help ensure student success. 

This year I am looking forward to furthering the mission and vision of GWA and also embracing the goal of building BRIDGES as outlined by Dr. Wendy Rubin - our Head of School. I am also very excited to welcome new staff members and to get to know the large number of returning staff here at GWA. 

Personally, I am fortunate to be working alongside my wife Christa Keppler who will be the director of teaching and learning at GWA. She has an extensive background in education as a teacher, instructional coach, and primary principal. 

There are a number of initiatives that we are embarking on this year at the primary level including:

• The implementation of a new literacy curriculum
• The implementation of a new literacy assessment 
• A focus on standards based instruction and planning
• An enhanced Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) system focused on a restorative justice approach and acknowledging students for positive behavior
• The implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support which focuses on differentiating instruction for our students and also meeting their social and emotional needs 

We look forward to having you and your child join the GWA community - a community where we focus on equipping minds and building character in every student at our school. 

Sincerely, 

Dr. Mike Keppler

Learning at GWA begins at the primary school level. We are a diverse and inclusive community of learners who are developing into positive, contributing citizens who will serve Morocco and the world. The Primary School aims to foster positive, multilingual, and contributing citizens. We believe that children thrive in a learning community that is diverse, rich, and inclusive where every child feels they can contribute, belong and add value. GWA students engage in experiences that develop a strong foundation in academics, the arts, languages, and physical education. GWA Primary School students are encouraged to research their own curiosity, seek information and answers, and discover new questions to facilitate their learning.