International School of Choueifat, Lahore

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The International School of Choueifat, Lahore is a private school, part of the SABIS network of schools. It was opened in September 1992 and is located at 662 G/1 Abdul Haque Road, Johar Town, off the Canal. ISC, Lahore offers top-rate Pre-K and K-12 education at international standards, and puts students through a rigorous college preparatory process.

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[edit] Campus and Facilities

The ISC, Lahore campus is one of the largest school campuses in Lahore. High school, middle school, and elementary school are all on one campus, even though building are separate.

Facilities include:

  • Air-conditioned buildings
  • Canteen and Cafeteria
  • Multipurpose hall
  • Examination hall, with capacity up to 300 students at one time
  • Air-conditioned, multipurpose gymnasium
  • Heated, indoor, Olympic-size swimming pool
  • Large grass sports field
  • Outdoor volley-ball, basket-ball and cricket court
  • Indoor badminton court
  • Playground equipment
  • Laboratories
  • Infirmary
  • Video Conference Room
  • Library

The Lahore campus has a plethora of recreational facilities and areas on campus are conducive to relaxing during break hours. Benches are located in each of the three porch areas and several nooks are popular spots for students to "hang out".

[edit] Education

Choueifat is known for its rigorous academic programs and excellence in mathematics programs.

The SABIS education system is a fusion of the British GCSE and US High School systems. The first 9 years of students' schooling is typical prep-school education. Students must take all of the following subjects in their first 9 years:

   * English (Grammar, Composition, Vocabulary, Reading and Comprehension)
   * Urdu (French may be taken instead if student holds an international passport)
   * French (grade 7 and above, only)
   * Mathematics (Algebra is introduced in grade 7; geometry is introduced in grade 8)
   * Social Studies (Geography and/or history)
   * Science (introduction to chemistry and physics, with emphasis on theoretical experimental analysis, e.g. controlled experiments, graphs)
   * Pakistan Studies (may be waived if student holds an international passport)
   * Islamiyat (may be waived if student is not of the Islamic faith)

Grade 9 students may take an optional self-study course in introductory Biology (students are expected to be in high academic standing to qualify). Grade 9 students are also offered an IGCSE (O Level) Computer Science course.

Once in grade 10, students must choose between contingency to either a Science (S) or Literary/Arts (L) section. In grades 10 and 11, students prepare for GCE/IGCSE O Level examinations, which are administered by the Edexcel International/London University Examinations and/or Cambridge International Examinations. Most of these tests are taken at the end of grade 11, even though select subjects might be accelerated and taken at the end of grade 10. Subjects offered in each section include, but are not limited to, the following:

Sciences:

   * Mathematics (accelerated 1-year course; GCE exam taken end of grade 10) *
   * Physics*
   * Chemistry*
   * Biology
   * English*
   * Urdu (or French) *
   * Business Studies
   * Economics*
   * English Literature
   * Pakistan Studies
   * Islamiyat

Literature/Arts:

   * Mathematics (2-year course; GCE exam taken end of grade 11) *
   * Biology *
   * English *
   * English Literature
   * Urdu (or French) *
   * Business Students
   * Economics *
   * History *
   * Pakistan Studies
   * Islamiyat

(* denotes compulsory course; you do not need to take the GCE exam, but you must take the course and sit internal examinations)

After completing the British GCE exams, in grade 12, students again have a choice between Science and Literature. Moreover, in grade 12, they pursue studies to take the College Board Advanced Placement examinations at the end of grade 12 and earn their high school diplomas (a minimum grade of 50% in at least 5 subjects is required). Moreover, students may prepare to take their GCE Advanced Levels (A Levels) at the end of grade 13 (A level courses are two-year courses, grade 12 and 13). Subjects offered are:

Sciences:

   * AP English Language and Composition
   * AP/GCE Chemistry
   * AP/GCE Biology
   * AP/GCE Physics (AP Physics B and C)
   * AP/GCE Mathematics (AP Calculus AB and BC)
   * AP Macroeconomics
   * GCE Macro+Micro Economics
   * GCE Urdu
   * AP/GCE French

Literature:

   * AP/GCE History
   * AP/GCE Art
   * AP English Language and Composition
   * GCE Business Studies
   * AP/GCE Biology
   * AP/GCE Mathematics (AP Calculus AB and BC)
   * AP Macroeconomics
   * GCE Macro+Micro Economics
   * GCE Urdu
   * AP/GCE French

With 12 years of schooling, students are qualified to apply to university in the United States and Canada; however, if students decide to study further in the UK, they have the option to stay on for grade 13 and complete their GCE A Levels in addition to the APs and High School Diplomas. ISC Students are competitive university applicants since their workload is twice that of regular students: they study the AP and GCE curricula in parallel to each other, as well as in parallel to high school diploma requirements.

A high school diploma obtained from ISC, Lahore, along with 3 AP Exams, is recognized by the IBCC, Islamabad. This means that equivalent credit for students education can be given in terms of a metric grade and students may get admission into Pakistani universities after grade 12, without GCE O/A Levels.

[edit] Annual Events and Traditions

The Student Life Organization (SLO) organizes several activities for students throughout the year. Common annual events are:

  • The Halloween Carnival
  • Valentines and Basant Carnival
  • Sports Day
  • Pinboard Competition
  • Sports events, such as inter-school and inter-house sports matches
  • Carnival (junior and senior)
  • Talent Night

In Choueifat tradition, the graduating seniors (grade 12) have a "Senior Day": the seniors choose an eccentric, yet sensational, entrance onto campus and dance to traditional Pakistani music. The seniors usually decide on a dress-code and lead a procession around campus and into the gymnasium. This tradition was started in Pakistan by the Graduating Class of 1999 and its leaders Fahd Sheikh, Essa Mian, Kabir Qureshi, and Ali Shah invented a unique way of entering the school dressed in black and riding on horseback with the majority of their classmates dancing away on the back of a big tractor trolley that entered the school's gates triumphantly. This act of triumph has become a tradition and in 2006, the head of activities (Umer Sheikh), along with his friends, surprised everyone by arriving on camels! Even teachers join in on the festivities, dancing along with the students who will leave them at the end of the year.

At the very end of the academic year, the seniors' graduation ceremony, called the "Tree Planting Ceremony", is held. This is a tradition across all SABIS schools, in which each graduating class plants a tree in the back field. ISC Campuses are usually full of these planted trees and plaques, which can be enjoyed by generations to come.

[edit] Administration

The administration, rather than being headed by a headmaster, is headed by a Director. The current director of the Lahore campus is Mr. Munir Geha.

The academic administration is divided into the following departments:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Sciences
  • Economics/Business Studies
  • Pakistani studies/Islamiyat
  • Urdu
  • French