VIS School Profile

VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PO Box 3180 Vientiane Lao PDR Tel +856 21 486001 Fax +856 21 486009 Email contact@vislao.com Web www.vislao.com

______ Vientiane International School Mission and Objectives

Location

At Vientiane International School our mission is to challenge, inspire and prepare learners for life. We provide a safe, respectful, collaborative and sustainable learning environment, a high quality holistic education, empower learners to be internationally minded global citizens and enrich learning experiences through interaction with the Lao community and our international communities.

Who are we?

Vientiane International School (VIS) is an independent, non‐profit day school offering a quality international‐standard curriculum from Preschool (3 year olds) through Grade 12 (18 year olds). Our school is located in Ban Saphanthong Tai, Vientiane, Lao PDR, South East Asia.

Accreditation Source: http://geography.about.com

Contacts Director Greg Smith director@vislao.com

Secondary Principal Kim Green kimg@vislao.com

Primary Principal Jonathan Davidson g jond@vislao.com

Business Manager Bryndis Chapman businessmanager@vislao.com

Communication & Admissions Manager Rachael Phiasanaxay rachaelp@vislao.com

College Counselor Nikki Hutchison nikkih@vislao.com

Vientiane International School was authorized by the International Baccalaureate in May 2008 to deliver the IBDP, June 2009 to deliver the IBPYP and April 2011 to deliver the IBMYP. Vientiane International School also received initial accreditation in 2001 from both the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) www.wascweb.org and the Council of International Schools (CIS) www.cis.org and was re-accredited in December 2011. Vientiane International School is one of a small number of schools in Asia to receive accreditation from all three organisations and is the only accredited school in Lao PDR.

Curriculum Vientiane International School is an IB World School that offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and Diploma (DP) curriculum. Our curriculum ensures student’s successfully transition to their next International School or English-Medium school in their home country and they are prepared for acceptance into a college or university. A VIS High School Diploma is awarded to students who accumulate a total of 24 credits (Grade 9-12) using the Carnegie credit system and successfully completes the core requirements of the programmes.

Calendar The academic year is 180 school days and is comprised of four quarters. The first semester begins in early August and runs until the December break. Semester two runs from early January to early June. Lao National holidays are observed in addition to Christmas and International New Year. The instructional day is divided into eight 40 minute class periods.

Admissions Policy Designed to meet the academic and social needs of college-university bound internationally minded students, our programmes welcome the enrolment of all expatriate children and qualified Lao National students willing to engage in serious academic study. VIS serves a diverse community and provides services limited to students with mild learning difficulties.

School Community VIS students come from diverse backgrounds with over 40 different nationalities represented within the student body. A large percentage of the parents are professionals for embassies, NGO’s and International companies. Our student body is highly transient and the average time a family stays in Vientiane is three years.

Challenging, Inspiring and Preparing Learners for Life Accredited by

VIENTIANE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PO Box 3180 Vientiane Lao PDR Tel +856 21 486001 Fax +856 21 486009 Email contact@vislao.com Web www.vislao.com

______ Our faculty consists of 48 expatriate and Lao Teachers. All are certified in their home countries and bring with them a wealth of teaching knowledge and experience.

Teachers are from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United States, France, United Kingdom, Poland, German, Swiss, Nederland and Lao. Sixteen Lao teacher assistants are employed to assist in Early Years through Grade 5 classrooms and some specialty courses.

Student Nationalities

Languages Language is central to all learning at VIS. All students are provided with opportunities to learn language, learn through language and learn about language so that they can critically engage across complex, dynamic language systems. Therefore throughout the curriculum students are expected to participate in English Language / Literature courses and Mother Tongue courses. In addition students have opportunities to acquire French as another language. All students at VIS are expected to acquire at least two languages.

Teacher Nationalities

Graduation Requirements Every successful VIS graduate receives a VIS High School Diploma. The criteria for graduation are based on the Carnegie credit system, beginning in Grade 9. A passing grade of at least 3 on a scale of 1-7 in a course that meets on average of at least 150 minutes per week earns one credit. A part time course will receive partial credit. To achieve the VIS High School Diploma students need to accumulate a total of 24 credits and successfully complete the core requirements.

Subject Language A or B: English Humanities l Mathematics Science Language A or B: Mother Tongue or Other Language Physical Education The Arts Design Technology Personal Project Extended Essay Theory of Knowledge Other (Additional to minimum in any Learning Area) Core Requirement IBDP Creativity, Action, Service (CAS)

Student College / University Acceptances (2009-2012)

Minimum credits 4 3 3 3 3 1 1.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 2.5

Country

Students who enroll at VIS without comparable grades from their previous school may receive the VIS Diploma based on their performance at VIS, on a pro-rated credit system.

Two years’ attendance at VIS is the minimum requirement for this. Each student who leaves VIS in Grade 9-12 is issued with a High School Transcript that lists the credits they have earned each year. The VIS High School Diploma is recognized as meeting or exceeding high school graduations requirements globally.

Australia

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Monash RMIT

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England

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Bristol City University Kingston University

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Hongkong

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Hongkong Baptist University

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Netherlands



Erasmus

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Singapore

 

Curtin Marketing Institute of Singapore MDIS

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Taiwan

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National Chiao Tung University

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Thailand

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Assumption Stamford

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United States

   

Clark Middlebury University of Illinois SCAD

International Baccalaureate Diploma Examination Results A snapshot of our IBDP data for our first two examination cohorts can be found below .

Examination Session

University / College



Number of full IB Diploma Candidates

IB Diploma’s Awarded at VIS

% IB Diplomas Awarded at VIS

IB Diploma’s Awarded in Asia Pacific

IB Bilingual Diploma’s % IB Bilingual Diploma’s Awarded at VIS Awarded at VIS

May 2010

5

3

60

69.22

2

40

35.3

May 2011

10

5

50

63.70

3

60

24.7

Challenging, Inspiring and Preparing Learners for Life Accredited by

% IB Bilingual Diploma’s Awarded in Asia Pacific