International School Manila
International School Manila | |
---|---|
Location | |
University Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila Philippines | |
Information | |
Type | Private International School |
Motto |
Veritas et Democratia Truth and Democracy |
Established | 1920 |
Superintendent | David Toze |
CEEB code | 705720 |
Faculty | 226 |
Grades | Preschool to Grade 12 |
Enrollment | 2,266 |
Campus | University Parkway |
Campus size | 17 acres (0.069 km2) |
Color(s) |
Green (Primary) Gold (Secondary) |
Athletics conference | Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) |
Mascot | Bearcat |
Nickname | ISM |
Website |
www |
Coordinates: 14°33′17″N 121°03′29″E / 14.5546°N 121.058°EInternational School Manila (abbreviation: ISM) is a private, non-profit, non-sectarian day school for boys and girls from Preschool to Grade 12, located in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is governed by a ten-member Board of Trustees elected from and by the parents of enrolled students and by Sustaining Members of the Corporation.
Founded in 1920 by a group of American and British parents living in Manila, The American School changed its name to International School Manila in 1970 at the recommendation of the US Embassy to reflect the growing student diversity on campus.
International School Manila is one of six members of the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS)
History
In 1920, a group of American and British expatriates established the American School, Inc., which opened its doors on June 21, 1920 located at 606 Taft Avenue, a loaned church building, with eight teachers and fifty students from Grades 1 to 12. The American School (AS) moved locations twice in this decade: in 1922 to Padre Faura Street and in 1920 to MH Del Pilar St. Both were Spanish-style colonial homes.
In 1930, the American Indian became the AS symbol. Just after the Christmas holidays of 1936, the school moved again; this time to a campus on Donada Street.
On January 2, 1942, Japanese troops arrived in Manila. All citizens of the Allied countries were interned at the University of Sto. Tomas. Heads of various schools organized classes within the internment camp and these ran until 1945. A total of thirty-four students completed their High School requirements and graduated during WWII. In September 1946, exactly one year after the Japanese surrendered in Manila, the American School re-opened at Donada Street.
In 1970, the American School changed its name to International School Manila at the recommendation of the US Embassy to reflect the growing student diversity on campus. In the same year, IS Manila also became the first international school to receive Accreditation by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). In 1976, the International Baccalaureate Program was introduced to the High School curriculum.
In 1982, ISM joined the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asia Schools (IASAS).
1994 marked the last year of the Indian symbol. The Bearcat was announced as the official mascot beginning SY 1995-1996. In 1999, the current globe logo was introduced as the official emblem, replacing the Indian insignia.
After forty years at the Bel-Air campus, in 2002, International School Manila moved to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art campus on a 7-hectare site in Bonifacio Global City. With a growing international community of over 2,266 students, ISM Celebrated 95 years in 2015.
Campus and Facilities
The ISM campus sits on 7 hectares located at the new Global City development at Fort Bonifacio, Metro Manila.
Facilities include:
- 400m all-weather track and 3 playing fields
- Sports Hall, 8 tennis courts and 3 fully air-conditioned gymnasiums
- 3 Libraries with over 80,000 books
- 920-seat Fine & Performing Arts Theater
- 350-seat Little Theater for multi-purpose activities
- Amelita M. Ramos Hall: performance space with retractable seating and modular stage
- Design Technology and Robotics Suite
- Music wing with state-of-the-art sound modules
- Fully equipped Film Lab
Organization and Leadership
ISM is organized into three divisions:
The Elementary School comprises seven year levels: Preschool (covering two years), Kindergarten, and Grades 1 to 4. The age range of our students is from three to ten years.
The Middle School comprises four grade levels, Grade 5 through Grade 8. The age range is from ten to fourteen.
The High School comprises Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.
The Leadership Team consists of:
- Superintendent
- Assistant Superintendent
- High School Principal
- High School Assistant Principal
- Middle School Principal
- Middle School Assistant Principal
- Elementary School Principal
- Elementary School Assistant Principal
- Student and Faculty Learning Coordinator
The school is governed by a ten-member Board of Trustees elected from and by the parents of enrolled students and by Sustaining Members of the Corporation. The Superintendent serves as the head of the school.
Student Body
There are a total of 2,266 enrolled students at ISM with over 80 countries represented.
Elementary School = 759
Middle School = 691
High School = 816
The Elementary School, Middle School and High School have their own Administration and Faculty, yet the students and their educational goals remain the common thread that binds them as a community.
Faculty
The 226 faculty members working at ISM come from over twenty different countries:
- USA - 41.59%
- UK - 22.12%
- Canada - 11.50%
- Philippines - 5.75%
- Australia - 3.98%
- New Zealand - 2.21%
- France - 1.77%
- South Africa - 1.77%
- Italy - 1.33%
- China - 0.88%
- Ireland - 0.88%
- Japan - 0.88%
- Spain - 0.88%
- Austria - 0.44%
- Germany - 0.44%
- Hungary - 0.44%
- India - 0.44%
- Korea - 0.44%
- Malaysia - 0.44%
- Netherlands - 0.44%
- Singapore - 0.44%
Academics
ISM is an independent international school with a structure, style and traditions that emanate from the United States and with a curriculum and methodology that reflect the best in worldwide educational research and practice.
Curriculum
The Elementary School uses an integrated inquiry approach as their curricular framework. Through this program of inquiry, students develop the skills, understandings and dispositions to be life-long learners.
The Middle School program supports the following characteristics: being developmentally responsive, challenging, empowering, equitable and internationally minded. Students are required to take the following courses: English, Math, Modern Language, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies and Wellness.
ISM offers a High School program designed to prepare students for college and university admission. Students who successfully complete the requirements for graduation earn the ISM High School Diploma, a recognized qualification for most colleges and universities around the world.
The School offers the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, an academically rigorous and challenging program that is recognized in most countries of the world as a university entrance qualification. Students have the option to work towards a full IB Diploma or they may enroll in select courses for IB Certificates.
College Admissions
ISM aims to prepare students for higher education institutions around the world with the majority of graduates attending universities in the US, Canada, UK, Japan, Australia, Korea and the Philippines.
Students matriculate in prestigious colleges year after year including University of Amsterdam, Brown, Boston College, Berkeley, University of British Columbia, Cambridge, University of Chicago, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Imperial College London, UPenn, Oxford, Princeton, Stanford, Temple University Japan, Yale.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Athletics and Activities
ISM believes that a well-rounded education includes activities beyond the classroom. The School offers a wide range of activities including athletics, social functions, cultural clubs, service organizations, publications, a television news service and many others.
ISM competes both locally and internationally in Soccer, Volleyball, Cross-Country, Tennis, Basketball, Swimming, Rugby, Touch, Track and Field, Softball, Badminton, Table Tennis, Gymnastics, Golf, Wall Climbing, Judo and Tae Kwon Do.
Students from ISM also have the opportunity to travel and compete with other premier international schools in academic and artistic competitions through the Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) organization.
There are over 30 clubs, councils, societies and media publications at ISM. Each organization plays its part in improving the experience students enjoy at a world-class educational institution.
Fine and Performing Arts
ISM has an excellent reputation for its Fine and Performing Arts program and offers many opportunities for performers to share their work with both local and international audiences. Every year an array of drama performances, music concerts, dance recitals, art exhibitions and public speaking events in varied forms are showcased for the ISM community to enjoy.
After-School Activities
ISM provides opportunities for students to engage in safe and fun recreational activities that extend their educational experience at ISM. This program is offered to students who want to keep active, develop skills and take part in a rotating selection of sports and activities. Fun, low-level intramural games are a part of this program with students being able to play in mini tournaments and mixed-ability teams. The program also includes organized activities in assembly times, lunch breaks and other dedicated times.
Bamboo Telegraph
Bamboo Telegraph (BT) is ISM's official high school student publication which was launched in 1936. Since its beginnings eighty years back, BT has undergone numerous changes, yet has still maintained the high caliber of student journalism in ISM. Their founding mission is to be a publication run solely by students, for the students. Every member of the staff has his/her equal share of expression and also collectively stands as the valuable mouthpiece through which the community can share ideas.
Sailfish Swimming
The Sailfish Swim Club is made up of ISM students from Grades 1 to Grade 12, with a current roster of 155 members. The Club trains throughout the whole school year in ISM's 25-meter 8-lane pool, equipped with a state-of-the-art timing system, an electronic scoreboard and touch pads. Sailfish Swim Club hosts and attends swim meets in Manila, as well as international schools within Southeast Asia.
Notable Alumni
Margot Cassel Pins Kestenbaum – a Jewish refugee during Holocaust.
David Peoples, class of 1957 – an American screenwriter, who wrote Blade Runner, Unforgiven, Ladyhawke, Solider and 12 Monkeys. He was nominated for various awards: The Oscars, The Golden Globes, and BAFTA.
Dr. Katherine Ruiz de Luzuriaga, class of 1974 - along with colleagues Dr. Deborah Persaud and Dr. Hannah Gay, developed a cure for treating an HIV-infected baby.
Fahran Zaidi, class of 1994 - General Manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Stefanie Walmsley, class of 2000 - together with Gigi Dement and Stephan Dypiangco, won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film, God of Love last 2011.
Tara Macken, class of 2002 – an American actress and stunt woman, she was featured in over twenty films and televisions shows. Among those, she appeared in Hawaii Five-O and Sons of Anarchy, as well as in the 2012 film, The Hunger Games.