P , c d P S d : J 1, 2019 ispp.edu - Carney Sandoe ... · school with programmes students age three...

InternatIonal School of Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, cambodIadIrector

PoSItIon Start date: July 1, 2019ispp.edu.kh

overvIew

The International School of Phnom Penh, private, non-profit, coeducational, English-language day school with programmes students age three through Grade 12, seeks a Director effective July 2019 to lead this school built on a history of success.

The Director opportunity at ISPP is a wonderful one for a proven school leader who is committed to the International Baccalaureate programme yet seeks innovative new practices to further extend teaching and learning at the leading international school in Cambodia. The School benefits from a state-of-the-art new campus, yet will soon reach capacity. The School would also like to recapture the close-knit community feeling it had before moving to the new campus. Someone adept at building trust, communicating, and listening effectively and yet pushing the community toward best new practices would be a strong candidate.

School hIStory

The International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) was started in 1989 by a group of families working for nongovernmental organizations. The first six students, aged three to seven, met part time in the home of one of the parents who was also the teacher. By 1990, with a curriculum developed for grades K-4, the school was established as a parent-owned and operated nonsectarian, nonprofit school. The revised mission statement crystalized the school’s focus on “academic excellence and responsible global awareness in a caring, international setting.” By 1999, ISPP had received a full six-year accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), making it the only fully accredited international school in Cambodia at the time.

1The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com

Vision Statement

Learning together, growing together, each making a difference.

Mission Statement

The International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP) empowers students, in a caring international environment, to achieve their potential by pursing personal and academic excellence, and to grow as responsible global citizens who celebrate diversity.

International Mindedness

Students develop their curiosity about the world, extend their understanding and appreciation of both shared values and cultural differences, and strive to effect positive change.


Since receiving accreditation, the school has grown steadily. In 1999-2000, it made the shift to an IB World School, gaining authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB). Over the next four years, it created an IB-approved Middle Years and Primary Years programmes. In 2004, the school was also accredited by the Council for International Schools (CIS) and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

In 2014-15, during its 25th anniversary, ISPP moved its secondary school to a new purpose-built campus. A year later, the Early Years Centre and the Elementary School joined the Secondary School in the new campus. At the same time, the school received positive reports from its accreditation and authorizing bodies and gained full reaccreditation for the school. The school, with more than 800 students, now has a reputation as one of the best schools in Cambodia.

the School

Today, the International School of Phnom Penh is a highly regarded, fully authorized IB World School, offering Primary Years (grades preschool-5), Middle Years (grades 6-10), and Diploma (grades 11-12) programmes for 880 students. Overall, the school has a reputation as a close-knit community with both high academic standards and high student achievement. A true international school, 47 nationalities are represented in the student body.

A multinational faculty of 101 members come from 29 countries, with the vast majority coming from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, and remain at the School for 3-5 years. Passionate for the areas they teach, around 40% of the faculty hold advanced degrees. Student-teacher ratios of 11:1 for Elementary and Middle Years and 7:1 for Secondary Years mean


teachers know their students well and are able to provide them with the individual attention they need for academic success. Teachers at ISPP are trained IB educators and many have specifically sought out ISPP as the place to teach because of the School’s reputation for academic excellence and emphasis on teacher professional development.

The School’s annual operating budget is $18 million, and offered $109,000 in financial aid for the 2017-18 school year. ISPP is accredited by WASC and CIS. It is also a member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS), and the Mekong River International Schools Association (MRISA).

elementary School

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the ISPP Elementary School relies on the official curriculum framework and teaching methodology of the International Baccalaureate (IB), developed to meet the needs of children in the primary years of schooling. It is designed to foster the development of the whole child through transdisciplinary teaching and learning across multiple academic subjects. A passionate faculty who enjoy working with young children emphasize learning through active inquiry and help each child meet the competencies and attitudes outlined in the IB Learner Profile.

The PYP curriculum combines the best research and practice from a range of national systems with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools to create a relevant and engaging educational framework for all children.


Secondary School

The Secondary School incorporates students from Grades 6-12, aged from 11-18 years. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP) for students ages 11-16 (Grades 6-10) provides a framework of curriculum and academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and to become critical and reflective thinkers. The MYP complements the school’s commitment to the IB Diploma in Grades 11-12. MYP students are required to study two languages, usually their mother tongue and a second language, along with language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts (drama, music, and visual arts), physical and health education, along with both product and digital design. In the final year of the programme, students also engage in a personal project, which allows them to demonstrate the understandings and skills they have developed throughout the programme.

Secondary School students choose to take either the ISPP Diploma or IB Certificate option. All Grade 11 students are given the opportunity to enter the IB Diploma Programme; there is no prerequisite selection process. The IB Diploma Programme has undergone successful evaluations in 2006, 2010, and 2015 by IB Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. The ISPP Diploma is fully accredited by the Council for International Schools and the Western Association of International Schools. These combined endorsements ensure that graduating students can gain access to the world’s best universities. Graduates have gone on to top colleges and universities in 20 different nations.

The School also ensures that secondary school students are deeply involved in their community and that they develop their international mindedness. The School also puts a premium on helping students develop maturity and self-reliance.


the Ib dIPloma Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is acknowledged by universities worldwide as the best and most rigorous academic programme available for Grade 11 and 12 students. ISPP has the oldest and most established IBDP Programme in Cambodia. Students must take six subjects. One subject must be selected from each of the following groups:

• Group 1: Language & Literature: English Language and Literature, Khmer Literature, French Literature, Korean Literature, Korean Language and Literature, Self -Taught Literature

• Group 2: Language Acquisition: English, French, Mandarin, Spanish • Group 3: Individuals & Societies: History, Geography, Economics, Business Management • Group 4: Experimental Sciences: Physics, Biology, Environmental Systems & Society, Sports,

Exercise and Health Science • Group 5: Mathematics: Mathematics, Mathematical Studies • Group 6: Arts/Electives: Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, Chemistry, Music

Between 2013 and 2017, the percentage of ISPP students passing the IB Diploma Programme exam ranged from 93% to 98%. (The world average in this time period was 79%). The students’ average score on the exam was also above the world average.

the ISPP dIPloma Programme

This ISPP diploma, based on the United States high school diploma, is awarded to all students who have successfully completed their four years of upper Secondary School. Credit is given for achievements


from ISPP and any other schools attended. The ISPP Diploma Programme is a high-quality academic course of study and ISPP Graduation Diploma is valid as a High School Diploma in the United States and in many other countries around the world.

artS and athletIcS

The Arts are a valued component of student life at ISPP. In addition to the required art and design experience within the curriculum, the arts play an important role in developing students who are balanced and knowledgeable through creative activities outside of the classroom. The School presents a dramatic or musical production every year. The Elementary and Secondary Schools alternate a production each year to give all students an opportunity to perform. In addition, activities such as creative arts competitions, music groups, photography club, and yearbook design are all examples of arts activities students can explore outside of the classroom.

In addition to a variety of extra-curricular activities for students of all ages, ISPP is proud to offer a strong sports

College Matriculation

Between 2011-2017, students matriculated to the following colleges and universities, among others:

AustraliaAustralian National UniversityUniversity of Sydney

CambodiaAmerican University of Phnom Penh

CanadaCarleton UniversityMcGill UniversityUniversity of Toronto

NetherlandsAmsterdam University CollegeGroningen University

United KingdomCardiff UniversityKing’s College, University of LondonLondon School of Business ManagementUniversity of BathUniversity of LeedsUniversity of LondonUniversity of Wales

United StatesBrown University George Washington University Harvard University Macalester College Northeastern University Penn State University Smith College The Catholic University of America University of California, Los Angeles University of Georgia University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of New Mexico University of Pennsylvania University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Francisco Virginia Tech


programme. At the Elementary level, the school offers students a variety of sporting opportunities throughout the year. Past activities have included football, T-ball, dance and basketball. There is also a successful swim team that has training twice a week and participates in inter-school swim competitions. Secondary students are encouraged to participate in basketball, volleyball, soccer (football), and swimming. ISPP participates in International Schools’ Sports Association Phnom Penh (ISSAPP) against local international schools. In addition, ISPP is a member of the Mekong River International Schools Association (MRISA). This latter organization consists of eight schools from Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Under this umbrella, the schools compete in three sports (basketball, soccer, and volleyball). Teams of 10 (boys and girls) compete at junior level (grade 6-8) and senior level (grade 9-12).

School lIfe

In addition to sports and arts programmes, ISPP has a robust community service programme. The School encourages all students of all ages, staff, and their families to take responsibility for and respond to the many needs within the community through learning and action. In doing so, ISPP aims to foster a lifelong commitment to the values and benefits of service beyond school and to contribute to a better, more peaceful world.

In 2016, the School joined Eco-Schools, an international network of 51,000 schools in 67 countries committed to environmental sustainability. The programme includes work in both the classroom and the local community with the goal engaging students in a lifelong effort to improving the environment. Along with Learning and Community, the Environment is one of the three pillars of ISPP’s 2016-19 Strategic Plan. In particular, achieving the standards for an Eco-School is one of the strategic


goals. In addition, the School will environmentally maintain its facilities to a high quality and promote environmental consciousness within the school community. The School recycles its wastewater and has invested in a 1mW solar power generating system that significantly reduces the carbon footprint. Students are actively involved in recycling, composting, and other environmentally friendly measures.

camPuS

In 2014-15, during its 25th anniversary, ISPP moved its Secondary School to a new secure and purpose-built campus, on Hun Neang Boulevard in Chak Angkre Krom district. The new campus encompasses an impressive range of facilities, including collaborative learning spaces, computer and science labs, a state-of-the-art performing arts theater, a 50-meter pool, air-conditioned gym, and full-sized soccer field (pitch). It also is designed with room to grow.

Phnom Penh, cambodIa

Phnom Penh, with a population of 2.1 million, is Cambodia’s largest city and busy capital. It sits at the junction of the Mekong River and Tonlé Sap. During the time of the Khmer Empire and French colonialists, the city was thought of as the “Pearl of Asia.” But it suffered through years of war and the brutality of the Khmer Rouge era until the Vietnamese army liberated the city in 1979. In recent times, the city has regained its footing and has grown to become the nation’s economic and industrial center and a popular Southeast Asian tourist destination.


The city’s double-digit growth rate in recent years has led to an economic boom. Construction and industry, primarily the garment industry, are on the rise. Many international banks and companies are setting up shop in the city. A $2 billion U.S.-led urban development project, Camko City, is designed to increase office space for global businesses.

At the same time, tourism is on the rise in this tropical city. Phnom Penh has turned into a vibrant city with alluring café culture and a world-class restaurant scene. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants, and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market. The two most visited museums in the city are the National Museum, which is the country’s leading historical and archaeological museum, and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former Khmer Rouge prison. The city is also home to a number of colleges and universities, as well as 11 international schools.

StrengthS and challengeS

ISPP is poised for an exciting future. As with any school, there are a number of opportunities and challenges awaiting the incoming leader.

The best qualities and strengths of the School include:• A welcoming and diverse school community;• A strong IB curriculum;• State-of-the-art facilities• Strong communication within the School;


• Respected and valued teachers;• A reputation as the school of choice in Cambodia.

The greatest challenges facing the School right now include:• Rebuilding the close community the School had before moving to the new campus;• Implementing the new scholarship programme and building learning support services for a more

inclusive school;• Managing when the School hits a capacity of 1,200 in a few years;• Finding ways to engage local parents;• Working with parents who would like more input on board and administration decisions;• Continuing to strengthen academics and enhance the curriculum;• Considering more robust professional development funding;• Increasing competition from area schools.

deSIred QualItIeS of the next dIrector

The next Director of ISPP will possess the following qualities:• Proven leadership experience—will take the School to the next level;• An innovator;• Strong communication skills—seeks feedback—a people person;• Believes in the IB;• Has high expectations for students;• Is comfortable in a multicultural community;• Is respectful of past accomplishments but not satisfied with the status quo;


• Hires and retains strong faculty;• Embodies the Learner Profile;• Has a sense of humor;• Is visible, engaged, and approachable;• An educator first, but savvy financially.

to aPPly

Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;• A current résumé;• A one-page statement of educational philosophy and practice;• A list of five (5) professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each

(references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission) to:

John ChandlerSenior [email protected]

Art CharlesManaging Associate, International Schools [email protected]

Fred WessonSenior [email protected]

P , c d P S d : J 1, 2019 ispp.edu - Carney Sandoe ... · school with programmes students age three...

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