STRONGER LEARNING FROM STRONGER BUSINESS OPERATIONS
YOUR NEEDS + OUR SOLUTIONS = YOUR SCHOOL'S EVOLUTION
Your school has the highest learning aspirations. We provide you the strongest business foundations to support and adapt to them.
Just as you're educational dream builders, we're your operational dream realizers.
And that's never been more important than right now...
OUR TESTIMONIALS SPEAK FOR
THEMSELVES...
Celina Midelfart, Board Trustee
Oslo International School (OIS)
We engaged Jon and GSO to perform a complete operational review of the business operations of OIS. He delivered a report to the School Board / Head of School on the full operational observations and solution recommendations that was a real eye-opener to all board members. He showed incredible insight, competence, and comparative knowledge of great value in steering us to optimal solutions at optimal cost and efficiency.
He later became the interim COO/CFO and implemented his recommended strategies (new Admissions system, new OIS website, operational transformation) while advising the Head of School and coaching the leadership and management teams on aligning for better practices and communication.
His impressive work capacity and work ethic injects positive energy into any challenge and task he is asked to look into. He created a very successful bridge between the financials and operations, providing our new DFO with a flying start, and has continued to support offsite to this day as the de facto Head of Admissions during our most critical enrolment year in recent history, using the system he designed/implemented to re-enroll and welcome 2023-24 students to OIS.
We are most grateful to have had the pleasure of Jon´s positive, energetic, firm but collaborative spirit, unifying and improving all areas of OIS´s operations. I would sincerely recommend him to whoever has any of these needs.
Catarina Song Chen, Head of School,
The American School of Belo Horizonte (EABH), Office of Overseas Schools, Board Member AAIE/AISH
In working closely with Jon, I can affirm his extensive experience and knowledge, as well as his ability to customize solutions to needs and shift focus as required by the school and Board of Directors.
Some additional major shifts that we realized we needed were an effective Board Governance Policy, which he created and we both partnered with our Board of Directors to successfully deliver and to set the Board up to facilitate their critical successions to align better with the school’s bylaws. Additionally, Jon has helped the school develop a Statement of Community, provided Leadership Team guidance, and continues to help us develop further operational policy to optimize our entire workforce.
His perspectives and experience have been immensely valuable and helped us through future planning and situational responses. As I transition into my next phase, I’ll continue to seek his support, advice, and collaboration.
I highly recommend GSO and Jon for all schools not only looking to modernize or improve their governance, school policies, operations, and other foundational documents, but for a fresh perspective on overall operational health and sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective long-term success markers.
Paul Sanders, Head of School
Oslo International School (OIS)
I wholeheartedly endorse the work of Jon Hansen / Global School Operations. Jon’s high EQ, strong technical skills, and ability to effectively communicate and work well with staff made him an extraordinary asset to our team and school community. He delivered a comprehensive report on the state of OIS’s business operations and then was asked to become the school’s interim COO/CFO during a time of crisis. He demonstrated exceptional skills in operations, finance, admissions, communication, facility management, and hiring, while personally leading the full design and implementation OIS’s new website and admissions experience.
Jon has the rare ability to help professionals evolve and improve processes without producing negativity or defensiveness, a skill that I believe is essential to ensuring that the changes he proposes and implements stick long after his departure. His contributions were invaluable, and our school has improved immensely because of his work.
He is a pleasure to work with, and I don’t know what we would have done without him!
Dr. Bernadette Carmody, Head of School
The International School of Amsterdam (ISA)
Due to his vast leadership experience in systems and operations, we relied on GSO and Jon's insights in all sorts of areas in the strengthening of our business operations at my prior school. Most importantly, with very short notice, he stepped into the role of Director of Admissions the day before we began our enrollment season.
Jon brought to the role a perfect blend of people skills and task management skills, capturing our highest-ever enrollment, and he secured a very rare 100% full family tuition payment before the commencement of the following school year with a new Director. We're now working together to positively shape and evolve all Governance and Operations structures at my current school.
Wayne Rutherford, School Director
The American School of Milan (ASM)
Jon (GSO) conducted an Admissions process and workflow audit for The American School of Milan. He was thorough, thoughtful, and curious in his interview process, and demonstrated superb systems and practice thinking as well as fluency in our key software applications in his feedback and coaching of our leadership team.
Jon's extensive report provided 60+ actionable suggestions for workflow and customer-experience improvements. He has been conscientious and generous with follow-up support. I enjoyed working with Jon and highly recommend (and have recommended) him to peer schools for operational reviews. His extensive international school experience informs his work and thinking.
J. Courtney Lowe, School Director
American School of The Hague (ASH)
GSO and Jon led the digitization of ASH's Admissions Office. During this critical project, which he completed on time and within budget and just before the COVID pandemic, he customized and implemented an entirely new technology platform and effectively trained all key users across ASH. He left no stone unturned and comprehensively assessed the entire operation and strategic direction to arrive at the right solution for the school and community.
He also provided valuable strategic and tactical insight to the ASH Leadership Team and key stakeholders on various other topics and practices. A savvy and creative design thinker, Jon is positive, flexible, adaptable and a great team player who quickly builds positive confidence and breaks down silos to go deep and arrive at an aligned and evolved solution and ongoing practice. I'd welcome the opportunity to work with him and GSO again soon.
Tom Kirby, Senior Customer Success Manager
OpenApply/Faria Group
Implementations at American School of The Hague (ASH), Oslo International School (OIS), and Tashkent International School (TIS). Experience Audit at the American School of Milan (ASM)
Jon has excellent knowledge of international school admissions, IT skills, and project mgmt, so was the ideal person to work with at ASH. The project was large and his leadership and positive attitude played a huge part in helping it to be a successful and enjoyable experience.
I am happy to have supported him again in his role as Acting Chief Financial and Operations Officer at Oslo International School and hope that I may continue to have the opportunity to work with Jon and GSO on future IT projects!
Sanja Ilić, Director of Admissions
International School of Beijing (ISB)
GSO and Jon were key to ensuring that I had a seamless transition to this position at the American International School of Guangzhou (AISG). He gave me mature and transparent communication tools that he'd created and already made the new Director and Board fluent with in addition to fully improved operations.
Jon also secured the school's highest-ever enrollment and 100% full payment before I arrived. This while implementing a new Veracross portal and screening/hiring one of my top analysts. It was a great situation to inherit and I highly recommend working with GSO/Jon!
Darren Box, Chief Executive Officer
Vertical Payment Solutions/My Campus Card (VPS)
VPS engaged GSO and Jon to lead the update of our core policies and procedures for our international school clients. He exhibited exceptional diligence and an eye for detail and brought a deep understanding of international school operations and policy.
It is very evident that GSO looks holistically at clients and schools and delivers superb results in a highly efficient and easily systemized manner. His extensive domain knowledge and real-world experience helped deliver on our requirements and beyond.