We need to let our children learn side-by-side with students and teachers from a wide range of ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds to be successful in an increasingly globalized world. That is why experts believe attending a boarding school will pay off long-term. Imagine studying in a different country with a foreign language than the home environment. It helps students to become fluent in multiple languages and receive a proper international education. Besides, boarding schools offer students an experience unlike any other: to immerse themselves in their education, grow within a supportive and diverse community, and position themselves for success after school.
One great example is The International School of Minnesota (ISM), a private school in Eden Prairie, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1985, ISM offers a unique educational experience for students from preschool to grade 12 by providing an international curriculum that strongly emphasizes world language taught by native speakers. ISM is a member of the SABIS® School network, an international educational organization founded in 1886 comprising 54 schools in 20 countries across five continents. In this issue, our cover story is about ISM and how their engaged, close-knit community and rigorous globally-focused curriculum set them apart from the rest. We have also featured The Gow School and Merrick Preparatory School among the 10 Prominent Boarding Schools to Watch in 2023. Situated in South Wales, New York, the Gow School is a college-prep boarding and day school for students with dyslexia and similar language-based learning disabilities. Merrick Preparatory School, located in Canada’s Most Beautiful Village, Merrickvillewas, was founded to help students reach beyond their grasp and a vision to create courageous, community-minded, compassionate global citizens.
We have included insights and opinions from Amal Al Abdallah (Teacher, Al Ittihad National Private School, UAE), Dr. Aristea Kyriakou (CEO & Founder, Greek and Green), Leo Thompson (Consultant School Support and Evaluation Officer, Council of International Schools), Ross Phillips (Senior Dean of Learning Futures, Strathcona Girls Grammar), Sylvia Arotin (Founder & Director, My Montessori) and Terrell L. Strayhorn (Professor of Higher Education; Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies at Illinois State University).
Enjoy Reading.