School Profile

HISTORY: Founded in 1951, ISB was the first international school in the Kingdom of Thailand. The school initially opened on the grounds of the US Embassy with 35 students, but with increasing enrollment moved to different campuses in the Bangkok area. Enrollment reached 3,650 students during the Vietnam War. In 1992, ISB moved to its present 35 acre purpose-built campus, 25 km from the center of Bangkok. 1,825 students are currently enrolled in the Elementary, Middle, and High schools. The High School provides an international education to over 720 students.

COMMUNITY: ISB is proudly international in its student body, enrolling students from more than fifty countries. Students from the United States account for 30% of enrollment, with students from Thailand (22%), Japan (11%), and Korea (11%) forming other major nationality groups. Students from Taiwan, India, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and a variety of other nations around the globe account for the remaining 26% of the student population. Parents of ISB students work in business, government, and other professional backgrounds. This is a mobile community and approximately 60% of high school students attend ISB all four years.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: ISB provides a college preparatory program with English as the language of instruction. Graduates earn a U.S. high school diploma and students may also elect to pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma program. The IB Diploma Program is a demanding pre-university course of study that leads to external examinations and is open to all ISB HS students. In total, 33 IB courses are offered at ISB and almost all students take some IB courses. The High School program is designed to prepare students for entrance to universities the world over.

ACCREDITATION: ISB is a private, non-profit institution operated by the International School Association under a charter of the Ministry of Education of Thailand. ISB is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), a U.S. based accrediting commission.

FACULTY: The High School faculty consists of a Principal, Dean of Academics, Dean of Students, Dean of Activities & Athletics, 5 counselors, a librarian, a school psychologist, 78 teachers and 37 classified staff members. Seventy-five percent of the faculty hold advanced degrees. Faculty members represent 15 countries: Australia (3), Britain (6), Canada (8), China (1), Columbia (1), France (1), Italy (1), Japan (2), Mexico (1), Netherlands (1), New Zealand (1), Spain (1), Taiwan (1), Thailand (6), and the United States (55).

HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZATION: The year consists of two semesters, 18 weeks each (August - December, January - June) for a total of 185 school days. There are four 85 minute periods per day with classes meeting every other day.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: One credit is granted for satisfactory completion of a subject taken for a school year. Students are required toearn a total of 25 credits in order to graduate. Students are also required to complete 40 hours of Community Service. Week Without Walls is a required week-long program for high school students that enhances the curriculum outside the classroom learning experience.