St. Stephen's International School is a co-educational, non-denominational, boarding and day school, enrolling students from ages 14-19 in grades 9-12 and for a postgraduate year. It is located on the Via Aventina in Rome, Italy. The current Head of School is Ms. Lesley Murphy.
About 230 students attend St Stephen's. It is home to about 40 students, who board on campus for 9 months of the year. The boarding students come from around the world, and spend holidays and summers away from St. Stephen's. Many of the boarding students come from the United States to complete either a semester or year abroad. There are about 190 international day students who also attend St. Stephen's while living with their families in Rome. Many of these day students come from around the world, and have parents who work for the FAO or other international organizations.
Founded in 1964 by Dr. John O. Patterson, former Headmaster of Kent School, St. Stephen's provides a demanding classical liberal arts education taking full advantage of its location in the historic center of Rome. The school is modeled on the American independent school tradition, and offers a rigorous program based on well-rounded and comprehensive preparation by each student in six major academic areas: English, Foreign and Classical Languages, History, Experimental Science, Mathematics, Arts. Primary objectives are academic excellence, fellowship and cooperation among students and faculty, and the development of students as independent, responsible, and involved members of the larger world community. The curriculum prepares students for the American high school diploma, including a variety of Advanced Placement subjects, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) which allows students to enter universities worldwide.