International School at Dundee explained

The International School at Dundee
Type:Public, Magnet, IB
Location:Riverside, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates:41.0516°N -73.5763°W
Grades:K-5
Enrollment:366[1]
Principal:Dana Firmander
Mascot:Dragon
Colors:Blue and red
District:Greenwich Public Schools
Website:www.greenwichschools.org/isd

The International School at Dundee is a magnet elementary school in Riverside, Connecticut, United States. The school belongs to the Greenwich Public Schools system and serves roughly 366 students. It also participates in the International Baccalaureate program, and was the first school in Connecticut to be IB authorized.[2] In 2012 it was one of five Greenwich public schools to be in Connecticut's list of top-performing schools.[3]

History

The International School at Dundee opened in Fall 2000 and became an IB World School in June 2003.

Dundee elementary school first opened in September, 1962.

Student population

Of the approximate 366 students who attend ISD, two thirds of the student body is composed of students in its district while the other third is made up of students who have applied to the school. Of those who apply, priority is given to those who live in the Eastern Middle School section of the Greenwich school district.

According to 2011 state test scores, the racial demographics of the school are as follows:

Curriculum

ISD's curriculum follows the basic Greenwich Public Schools elementary school curriculum which is integrated with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) model. The school's stated mission is to encourage continuous learning among its students as well as help them become responsible citizens of the world. This involves goals that include the students becoming "thinkers, communicators, inquirers, principled, reflective, open-minded, balanced, risk-takers, caring, and knowledgable[sic]." ISD expects the staff to embody these characteristics as well. The curriculum emphasizes the development of "inquiry" among the school's students. This is a chief principle of the IB program. ISD's website describes the inquiry process as involving "planned experiences that provide opportunities for students to pose questions and gather information."

Required subjects

Daily and weekly lessons include:

English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is also offered for international students.

Advanced Learning Program

The Advanced Learning Program is offered in all Greenwich Public Schools on the elementary level. The program is for students considered "talented and gifted" after consensus of teachers, school psychologists, and program facilitators, and after evaluation of standardized test scores. This program offers accelerated learning activities and other activities for enrichment.

Fifth grade IB exhibition

The Fifth Grade Exhibition is a research project in which ISD's fifth grade students apply the research and inquiry skills that they have acquired throughout their elementary school years. It is a student-led project in which the fifth graders explore a topic of their choosing in small groups. A teacher mentor guides each group during the completion of the project and meets with them once a week to track their progress.

Phases of the exhibition:

Campus

In the 2014–2015 school year ISD opened its new "learning commons" library which offers a wider range of activities compared to traditional libraries.[4]

Extracurricular programs

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Our Schools . 1 April 2013 .
  2. Web site: International School at Dundee Renaissance Fair . State of Connecticut . 23 October 2008 . 1 April 2013.
  3. Web site: Connecticut's ESEA Request/Waiver: Schools of Distinction . Connecticut State Department of Education . 2 January 2013 . pdf . 2 April 2013 .
  4. Schott, Paul. "New type of school library a hub for students, teachers" (Archive). Associated Press at the Washington Times. Sunday February 15, 2015. Retrieved on September 15, 2015.
  5. Web site: International School at Dundee Renaissance Fair . State of Connecticut . 23 October 2008 . 1 April 2013.