| Seoul International School |
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Seoul International School (or SIS as it is commonly called) is a secular international college preparatory school situated in Seongnam, South Korea[1] offering an American curriculum in an English-only setting.
When Seoul International School first opened in 1973, it was the first foreign school since Korea's liberation from the Japanese annex to be fully recognized by the South Korean Ministry of Education.[2] The school was first located on the campus of Konkuk University where a new classroom facility was completed in 1976.
The school graduated its first four-year high school senior class in 1978. As SIS grew and expanded, the school required more facilities and a larger campus. In 1981, the present 8-acre (32,000 m2) site was selected, and the school buildings were designed with unique Korean architectural motifs. The 150,000 square feet (14,000 m2) campus was completed just over four years later. The move to the current campus was made in May 1985. Conveniently located in the city of Seongnam in the southern suburbs of Seoul, the school is about twenty-five minutes south of Lotte World, the Jamsil subway station and Olympic Park. The school is located near the Bokjeong Station on Seoul Subway Line 8.[1]
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), based in California, accredited Seoul International School for a six-year term in 1979. Subsequent reaccreditations were received in 1985, 1991, 1997, 2003 and the spring of 2009.[3] As a condition of attending the school, every student is required to hold non-Korean permanent residency or citizenship.
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The school has computer labs for student use. All classrooms and facilities are fully networked. There are two libraries and several science laboratories.
The school auditorium, used for school assemblies, teacher and parent functions, fine arts productions and concerts, is fully equipped with lighting and sound systems. Music students are offered a range of facilities from band and choir rooms to sound proofed practice rooms.
Athletic facilities include two gymnasiums, a tennis court, a five-lane indoor 25-meter heated swimming pool, a soccer field with artificial turf, and weights and gymnastics rooms. Playgrounds, soccer fields, and libraries are available for student use during recess. One of the gymnasiums is planned to be demolished for the construction of a new elementary school building.
In elementary and middle school, there are about 20 students per homeroom. There are four homerooms in each grade. In high school, there are about 80 students per class. Every year, 100% of the graduating class matriculate into colleges and universities, with the majority going to the United States upon graduation along with a few students moving on to Korean universities.
Seoul International School is a Division 1 member of the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference.[1] SIS fields teams in volleyball, tennis, cross country, basketball, cheerleading, soccer, and swimming.