Midtown International School Board of Trustees
The MIS Board of Trustees has governance and fiduciary responsibilities for the organization, and is responsible for approving the school budget, determining tuition, and supporting the mission and vision of the school in long-term strategic planning.
Ande Noktes, Founder
Ande is an education professional with 20 years of experience international education. Currently, Ande is the Head of School of the Midtown International School, a school that she founded and established as a not-for-profit institution. As Head of School she is responsible for all hiring, curriculum, instructional supervision, and student recruitment. She also leads grant-writing and development, strategic planning, budget development and management, financial statement reporting to trustees, and all annual audit activities. Prior to starting Midtown International School, Ande was the Executive Director of International Preschools in Atlanta, which she also founded. During her tenure she grew enrollment from 30 to over 250 students across two campuses. She led all fiscal and strategic planning activities, including the expansion and construction of the second campus. Prior to this, Ande was the Program Coordinator of Berlitz Language School in Bangkok, Thailand, where she was responsible for teacher development, program design and scheduling, enrollment, assessments, and class placement. Additionally, she launched a new kids program for schools through Southeast Asia. Ande was also a Lecturer at Assumption University in Bangkok.
Ande received her Master of Arts degree in Philosophy from Assumption University in Bangkok, and her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Colorado State University. She has also done doctoral studies in Education with her research focusing on executive function development in gifted learners.
Ande received her Master of Arts degree in Philosophy from Assumption University in Bangkok, and her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from Colorado State University. She has also done doctoral studies in Education with her research focusing on executive function development in gifted learners.
Dr. Sidney Baker, Trustee
Dr. Sidney Baker has worked as a career-educator for more than 37 years beginning as an elementary teacher in Birmingham, Alabama, and then holding various teaching and leadership roles in Georgia with Marietta City Schools, Cobb County Schools, and Atlanta Public Schools, including that of elementary principal for 19 years. His last assignment prior to retiring from public education was serving as Associate Superintendent of Elementary Schools in the Atlanta Public Schools.
In 2010, Dr. Baker received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Great Books Foundation for his school’s implementation of the Junior Great Books Program. His belief in the shared inquiry approach as well as the alignment with international education allows him to present workshops on how Junior Great Books can enhance an elementary school’s reading program.
Born in the small town of Eufaula, Alabama, Dr. Baker has realized the importance of encouraging students as well as adults to consider not only their local environments but international exposure as well.
In 2010, Dr. Baker received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Great Books Foundation for his school’s implementation of the Junior Great Books Program. His belief in the shared inquiry approach as well as the alignment with international education allows him to present workshops on how Junior Great Books can enhance an elementary school’s reading program.
Born in the small town of Eufaula, Alabama, Dr. Baker has realized the importance of encouraging students as well as adults to consider not only their local environments but international exposure as well.
Mort Taylor, Trustee
Mort Taylor has been a practicing attorney for fifteen years, supporting commercial and business matters and with a long experience in the energy industry. His personal background includes managing 80-year old, fourth-generation private land and energy holdings. Mort founded Signal Power and Light out of a belief that, given the opportunity, innovative technologies could be applied so that people around the world could have greater access to energy.
A trained opera singer and participant in performances by Opera Birmingham, Mort is a founding member of PEER, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization devoted to providing resources to urban neighborhoods in the East Lake area of Birmingham, Alabama. He is also active in the St. Vincent’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to fundraising related to programs and capital needs at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Mort works with Victims of Domestic Violence Program where he organized and provided oversight for the program offering pro bono representation by lawyers to victims of domestic violence in the Family Court of Jefferson County, Alabama.
Mort is a native to the state of Alabama, where he attended Birmingham-Southern College receiving his B.A. degree in history. Mort received his law degree from the University of Alabama.
A trained opera singer and participant in performances by Opera Birmingham, Mort is a founding member of PEER, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization devoted to providing resources to urban neighborhoods in the East Lake area of Birmingham, Alabama. He is also active in the St. Vincent’s Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to fundraising related to programs and capital needs at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Mort works with Victims of Domestic Violence Program where he organized and provided oversight for the program offering pro bono representation by lawyers to victims of domestic violence in the Family Court of Jefferson County, Alabama.
Mort is a native to the state of Alabama, where he attended Birmingham-Southern College receiving his B.A. degree in history. Mort received his law degree from the University of Alabama.
