Korea International School (South Korea)
| Korea International School (한국외국인학교) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
Seongnam, Seoul | |
| Information | |
| Established | February 27, 1999 |
| Founder | YBM |
| Category | International School |
| Chairman | Dr. Sunshik Min |
| Campus Director | Michelle Quirin |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Enrollment | ~ 1220 |
| Color(s) | Blue, White |
| Mascot | Phoenix (Pangyo/Seoul) |
| Website | Pangyo Campus Seoul Campus |
Introduction[edit]
Korea International School (KIS) is a private, proprietary, non-profit, nonsectarian school established in 1999 in the Gangnam neighborhood of southern Seoul. The school is composed of three campuses located in Bundang-Pangyo [Seongnam city] (elementary, middle, and high school), Gaepo-Seoul [southern Seoul] (kindergarten), and Jeju Island (elementary, middle school, and high school). The Jeju Island campus is a boarding school. KIS received the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation in 2006[1].
KIS is based on a traditional Western educational system aligned with WASC accreditation standards. The curriculum addresses the whole child[2] developed by ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) and emphasizes applied learning[3][4]. The curriculum is based on the Common Core Standards[5] developed by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The academic goal for each student is to achieve grade level mastery in reading, writing, listening, mathematics, social studies, and science. KIS utilizes the Stanford Design Thinking Model in their STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) classes that includes a partnership with MIT[6] [7]. The KIS student experience includes a range of academics, visual and performing arts, organized athletics, and a variety of after school activities.
History[edit]
KIS was founded in 1999 and opened its doors in 2000 with students from Kindergarten to grade 5 in the Gangnam neighborhood of Southern Seoul. In 2001 grades 6, 7, and 8 were added. An additional grade was added each year thereafter to become a comprehensive K-12 school. The first class of eight seniors graduated in May 2006. In August 2006, KIS opened a new campus in Pangyo, an area approximately 15 kilometers south of Seoul. In the summer of 2008, KIS expanded its three building Pangyo campus to include an additional 7-story academic building with main gymnasium. In the summer of 2016, KIS remodeled its fitness center and design labs in its elementary, middle, and high schools.
Divisions[edit]
Elementary[edit]
The KIS Elementary School has 350 students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade. The school delivers a Western curriculum based on the Common Core Standards within a trimester calendar year. Student talents are showcased through assemblies, intramural activities, and special event days. All elementary students are offered three foreign languages that include: Spanish, Chinese, and French. Each week, students participate in speciality classes that include computer applications, design, art, PE, and music and performance arts. Students in grades 3-5 participate in a one-to-one tablet program.
Organized Athletics in the elementary division of KIS include Gaelic football[8], soccer, basketball, swimming, cross-country and cheerleading. Activities are scheduled throughout the year to allow all students the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports. Each sport concludes in an international jamboree event that includes many international schools.
Extra-Curricular Activities Each trimester, the elementary school offers a wide array of after school clubs that include: Lego Robotics, Animation, Book Club, String Ensemble, Choir, Yearbook, Student Council.
Middle School[edit]
The KIS Middle School enrolls over 220 students in grades 6 through 8 delivering a Western curriculum bases on the Common Core Standard. The students are enrolled in eight sections with a schedule based on a block model with four rotating 80-minute blocks each day. Within the eight sections, students are provided an array of electives that include: foreign language, music, drama, graphic arts, design. All middle school students participate in a one-to-one laptop program. Each student is provided a Google email address and utilizes the G-Suite of educational apps to support classroom learning activities.
Advisory periods create smaller settings for students to connect with faculty on a more personal level to support the transitions from elementary school to middle school and from middle school to high school. Advisory periods also provide training for students to begin developing the independent discipline required for university work.
Experiential Education is a formal program outdoor program that emphasizes an applied learning approach to the curriculum. In the fall, the 6th grade students take an overnight trip while the 7th and 8th grade students take a full-day trip. In the spring, each grade takes a three-day, two-night trip.
Athletics are an important part of the KIS Middle School program. Sports include: Rugby-touch (Co-Ed), Soccer (Girls/Boys), Swimming (Girls/Boys), Volleyball (Co-Ed), Basketball (Girls/Boys), Cross Country (Co-Ed), and Table Tennis (Co-Ed).
High School[edit]
The KIS high school enrolls approximately 450 students in grades 9 - 12. Students are enrolled in eight sections with a schedule based on a block model with four rotating 80-minute blocks each day. All high school students participate in a one-to-one laptop program.
Advisory periods create smaller settings for students to connect with faculty on a more personal level to support the transitions from middle school to high school and from high school to university.
Academics align with the Common Core Standards in its core content areas of Mathematics, Sciences, Social Studies, and English. KIS offers elective programs that foster creative expression and support student passions. These electives include: 2D and 3D Art, Choir, Orchestra, Band, Jazz Band, Theatre, Broadcast Journalism, Digital Media, Yearbook, Computer Science, Philosophy, Student Leadership, Design Engineering, Creative Writing, and Game Theory. Foreign language electives include Spanish, Chinese, and French. In addition to their academic classes, students have one period in the eight block rotation designated as an autonomous block. This 80-minute block allows students to conference with teachers, work on course activities, and pursue independent projects.
KIS participates in College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) program. AP courses are offered for students in grades ten through twelve in the following content areas: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Computer Science, and Art. Students can also participate in the AP Capstone program that includes a Seminar and Research class. KIS supports over 75 student-led clubs. Clubs meet weekly during a 30-minute block. All clubs are created and led by students with an assigned teachers serving as the club advisor.
College counseling begins at the freshman year. KIS has four College Counselors on staff.
KIS high school athletics compete in the Korean American Interscholastic Activity Conference (KAIAC) as well as the Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA). All athletic programs are available for both boys and girls at the varsity and junior varsity level. Fall high school sports include cross-country, volleyball, tennis. Winter high school sports include basketball and cheerleading. Spring high school sports include swimming and soccer.
Facilities[edit]
The Pangyo campus at KIS consists of 4 multi-story wings with connecting sky bridges. These wings house the elementary school, the middle school and the high school. Inside these multi-story wings are a variety of modern facilities that include: Three indoor gymnasiums, a two-story climbing wall, a 25-meter five-lap swimming pool, a fitness center, a 450 seat performing arts center, a stage production room with ceiling mounted light racks, three student libraries with a large volume exceeding 39 books per student.
Outside these multi-story wings the campus offers two basketball courts, a full size artificial turf soccer field with stadium seating, an amphitheater, and a green house[9]. A campus-wide gigabit Fi-Wi network supports over 2,000 desktop, laptop, and mobile nodes.
References[edit]
- 1.^ Korea International School Mission Statement.
External links[edit]
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- ↑ "Directory of Schools | Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges". directory.acswasc.org. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
- ↑ "Home Page - Whole Child Education". Whole Child Education. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
- ↑ Herald, The Korea (2015-12-28). "Korea International School emphasizes applied learning". Retrieved 2017-09-27.
- ↑ "Applied learning goes global: Genevieve Fowler at KIS". koreatimes. 2016-09-07. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
- ↑ "Home | Common Core State Standards Initiative". www.corestandards.org. Retrieved 2017-09-27. horizontal tab character in
|title=at position 5 (help) - ↑ Herald, The Korea (2015-12-27). "[BEST BRAND] Korea International School committed to 21st century learning". Retrieved 2017-09-27.
- ↑ Herald, The Korea (2016-10-18). "KIS nourishes design thinking in class". Retrieved 2017-09-27.
- ↑ Herald, The Korea (2017-09-08). "KIS promotes global friendship through football tournament". Retrieved 2017-09-27.
- ↑ Herald, The Korea (2015-02-16). "Korea International School boosts learning in greenhouses". Retrieved 2017-09-27.
