Seoul Foreign School
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Seoul Foreign School
| Established | 1912 |
|---|---|
| School type | Private School |
| Head of School | Dr. Harlan Lyso |
| Address | 55 Yonhi-dong Seoul, Republic of Korea 120-113 |
| Coordinates | |
| Enrollment | ~1,500 |
| Athletic Conference | KAIAC APAC |
| Colors | Red Black |
| Nickname | Crusaders |
| Homepage | Official Site |
Located in Seoul, South Korea, the Seoul Foreign School (abbreviated S.F.S.) is a K-12, IB World school, founded in 1912 that is an international school and offers a Western-style education to international students with an emphasis on "Christian values." It is one of many similar English-language schools with American/British curricula that can be found in major cities throughout the world. The school is located in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, near Yonsei University.
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[edit] Divisions
The school is currently divided into 4 divisions. British, Elementary, Middle, and High school.
British School
The British School (SFBS) offers a curriculum based around the English National Primary Strategy and National Curriculum for Reception to Year 9. SFBS spans Year 1 to Year 9. The headteacher is Timothy J. Gray.
Elementary School
The elementary school (SFES) offers a curriculum based on standard U.S.-style grade school education. The grade levels are K through 5. The principal is John Gaylord.
Middle School
The middle school (SFMS) offers a curriculum based on standard U.S.-style middle school programs. The grade levels are 6 through 8. The prinicpal is Shirley Droese.
High School
The high school (SFHS) offers a curriculum based on standard U.S.-style high school programs. The grade levels are 9 through 12. During junior and senior year, the IB Diploma Programme is offered. The principal is Kevin Baker. The assistant principal and IB co-ordinator is Lynn Gaylord.
[edit] Admissions
The admissions process into Seoul Foreign School is quite detailed and competitive. First, to be a potential student, you and one of your parents (or guardians) must hold a foreign (non-Korean) passport. SFS requires an application that comprises of your transcript, teacher recommendations, and appropriate fees. Admissions is based on a series of academic, behavioral, and citizenship criteria, available here. About 1 student for every 3 applicants is admitted.
[edit] Influences of Christianity
Christian values are present at Seoul Foreign School in a variety of forms. Regardless of personal religion, there is universal respect for all religions with a slight influence on Christianity. Elementary students attend chapel, where they participate in hymns and prayer (again, regardless of personal religion). Clubs, such as Vida, G2G, Discipleship, and Psalms are available to the high school. The supervisor for most Christianity-affiliated programs is Amos Lyso, who is the representative of SFS to the "All Christian Ministries". Religion classes, such as "Old Testament" are also provided, and there is a (high school) graduation requirement of 1.5 religious studies credits. There are various aspects of "Christ-like" attitudes that are encouraged at SFS, such as love and trust.
[edit] Discovery Week
Exclusive to the high school is Discovery Week, which is a mandatory 5-10 day program usually held around the last week of May to the first week of June. Extracurricular activities such as overseas trips and local activities are provided at a cost. Past overseas trips have been to places such as Mexico, Japan, France, and Guam. The cost of overseas trips range from $1800 USD to $3000 USD. Local activities can be things such as sports (golfing, basketball), city photography and excursions, and in-school activities such as computer gaming, or American Red Cross Lifeguarding. The cost range of local activities ranges from about $100 USD to $700 USD.
[edit] Fees
Seoul Foreign School, as a private school, demands separate tuition. Pricing is different for each school division. The cost range for tuition is approximately $9,125 USD to $23100 USD. Separate fees also exist for things such as transportation (buses), IB fees, application and registration fees. School lunches are also available for about $3-$4 USD.
[edit] Grounds
The school grounds span from the Yonhi-dong main street to the grounds of Yonsei Univerisity. The separate school divisions are also physically divided. The British school has a city view of Seoul, and is situated close to the bus/parking garage. The elementary school is physically connected to the high school which is situated across from the middle school. The high school is located between the middle school and the soccer field. Teacher housing is located in apartment complexes built within the campus. The Lyso Center for the Performing Arts is also located at SFS and is the site for many of the school's plays and concerts. There is currently one cafeteria, and construction is underway to build another much larger one as well as a new theater to replace the decades old, "Robb Hall".
[edit] The Lyso Center
The Lyso Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) or Lyso Center is the result of a 8,500,000 USD project. It houses a 700-seat auditorium for most performances and plays. Plays such as The Beverly Hillbillies and ""The Long Red Herring"" have taken place there along with musicals such as ""Into The Woods"" and ""My Favorite Year"". It is also the center of the music department with music classrooms as well as individual practice rooms. It is the replacement for the smaller, older Robb Hall, which also holds a great deal of historic value for the performing arts. Robb Hall has been the largest theater that SFS has had for a great many years, where countless, memorable performances have taken place. The Lyso Center also houses the "Blackbox Theater" small room with the ability to be transformed into any kind of theatrical setting such as theatre in the round, however is used for smaller, irregular performances.
[edit] Athletic Facilities
Seoul Foreign School has an indoor sports complex which houses two gyms, each with several basketball courts, as well as one weight training room. There is a soccer (football) field and a running track. There is also an indoor pool and two tennis courts are situated above it. Two more tennis courts are situated adjacent to the British school playground. There is also a gymnastics room for various uses ranging from acrobatics workout to ballet practice.
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Ken Jennings: Frequent contestant on the quiz-show Jeopardy! whose earnings have grossed over $1,000,000
- Eddie Shin: Korean Pop Singer.
