The International School of Boston is a bilingual co-educational Pre-K-12 private school in Cambridge, MA. The Maternelle Campus (preK, MidK, and K) is located in the adjacent town of Arlington, MA.

With 564 students from over 43 different countries, ISB is one of the few schools in New England offering the International Baccalaureate. ISB also offers the French Baccalaureate, and all graduating seniors receive the American high school diploma in addition to one of these international diplomas.

History

The International School of Boston was founded in 1962 as the Jardin d’Enfants (literally Children’s Garden, French for “Kindergarten”) in hopes of integrating French language and culture into children’s educational experiences. At that time, it was one of the first bilingual programs in the United States.

Since 1962 ISB has grown from just 15 children to 533, and expanded to serve Pre-K through 12th grade. Students range in ages from 3 to 18 and come from 43 nations.

The school had a nomadic existence in its early years as it searched for suitable space. From the basement of the Lutheran Church in Belmont, to a church in Newton Corner, to the Armenian Church in Cambridge, to the Parmenter School on Irving Street in Arlington (where the Pre-school and Kindergarten campus has been since 1983), it finally settled in 1997 in its current location in Cambridge.

It also underwent several name changes, including Ecole Bilingue, and French-American International School. Since January 2006, it has been the International School of Boston.

Bilingual education

With one of the first bilingual programs in the US, ISB has over 40 years of experience in bilingual education.

ISB's curriculum is bilingual from preK through 12th grade, with preK, midK, and K being full-immersion programs in French.

The International Baccalaureate

In addition to the American High School Diploma, ISB offers both the French Baccalaureate and International Baccalaureate (IB).

Arts

ISB has an extremely strong theater arts program, culminating in a week-long performing arts festival each May. For several years, ISB has participated at the Theater Festival at the Lycée Français de New York, winning first prize in 2006 and the “Special Prize of the Jury” in 2007. Visual arts also have a week-long festival in May during which student artwork is exhibited. The school choirs have several performances throughout the year.

Athletics

Beginning in 2007-2008, ISB will offer competitive teams in fencing, soccer and basketball. In the spring of 2007, ISB hosted the French-American School of Rhode Island and the Ecole Francaise du Maine in a soccer tournament. ISB has had a competitive Fencing Club for many years, as well as additional clubs for mixed sports, handball, volleyball, and badminton. As the school grows, additional teams and clubs will be introduced. The school has added a basketball team in 2001-2010 called the ISBeasts who won all but one of their games against other schools.

Community service

High-school students participate in the Cambridge soup kitchen and the Walk for Hunger, they volunteer at Club Passim (Cambridge folk music club), and within the school they help in the library, serve as homework aides for elementary students, support Open Houses, aid the Parents’ Association with fundraising activities and events.

After-School Clubs

Clubs include: Math, science, circus arts, knitting, cross-stitch, chess, art (2 levels), theater (3 levels), Oriental dance, singing, cooking, jazz dance, mime, Spanish, ballet, yoga, video animation, sculpture, jewelry-beading, gardening, and calligraphy.
Students in the upper school participate in an active Student Council and in 2007 a Model United Nations club.

Summer Programs

The school offers two different programs during the summer, one on the Arlington campus for pre-school aged children, and the other on the Cambridge campus for elementary students. Non-French and French-speakers are welcome. Activities are run bilingually, so the summer program offers an excellent introduction to French for many students. Activities include art, outdoor games, water games, songs, theater, and field trips, including the beach nearby lake each week. Camp counselors are all ISB teachers—highly professional and well experienced. All speak French and English fluently.

Accreditations

The International School of Boston (ISB) is accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...

 (NEASC), Council of International Schools

Council of International Schools

The Council of International Schools is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which aims to improve international education...

 (CIS), French Ministry of Education (MEN), International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). It is also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE), and Association of French Schools of North American (AFSA).