We’ve been back at school for only two weeks, and winter break already feels like a long time ago! This is my son’s seventh (and final) year at YIS, after starting in Grade 6. Our family is Dutch and Japanese: I’m the Dutch part, my wife Saya the Japanese part, and Shinla has somehow picked up the best of both cultures.
As a Grade 12 parent, it hasn’t been a typical winter break—there are still a few college application deadlines coming up. I’ve been trying to strike the right balance between the occasional gentle reminder (forms, payments, documents…) and trusting Shinla to manage it himself without us hovering too much. YIS has played a big part in helping him grow into this emerging independent adult, and I’m very grateful for that.
I remember clearly why we chose YIS in the first place. While other schools welcomed us with an auditorium presentation and a group tour, YIS planned an information session just for us and one other family—both with children looking to join in Grade 6. That personal approach really won us over, and it was our first taste of the community and values that make YIS so special.
This investment in us as a family and sense of community have been a motivator to give back, and one of the reasons I put my hand up for the Board five years ago.
One thing I really value about the Board is the mix of backgrounds that bring a healthy range of perspectives to the issues we work through. Among us, I’m probably more of a technocrat. I don’t come from an education background, I’m not an alumnus, I live in Tokyo rather than Yokohama, and some others may spend more time on campus. But my professional background in consulting with a firm that was founded on “Results, not reports” allows me to contribute strategic, organizational, and financial skills—and a healthy impatience with the status quo, and a desire to drive good discussions into clear decisions and next steps.
I’m a member of the Board’s Compensation Committee, which helps shape staff compensation in a way that meets immediate needs (such as those triggered by inflation and the weaker yen) while keeping a long-term view on the school’s financial sustainability. I’m also the Board Secretary, which means I make sure we have accurate meeting minutes—for good governance, future reference, and our legal obligations. And once a year, I also serve on the Election Committee that oversees the election of new Board members at our AGM.
The next few months will be an exciting time for our family—as they will be for all Grade 12 students and parents. Applications and admissions will reach their natural conclusions, and the next chapter will begin to take shape. We don’t yet know whether the choices ahead will be easy or tough, but it’s clear that the end of Shinla’s YIS journey is coming closer. In the short run, I may outlive him at YIS a little, since my Board position comes up for election in 2027. In the long run, he’ll be a proud Dragon forever. And I’m proud and happy to have been able to support YIS as an institution during his time here.
Jim Verbeeten
Member of the Board of Directors