The International School

Both of our girls go to TIS and absolutely love it. It isn't just language immersion; it's a warm and supportive environment for children, with challenging academics. I can't imagine our kids going anywhere else.
—Submitted by a parent

We are the parents of 2 TIS students. We thought that the exceptional thing about this school was the language immersion; that is a wonderfully strong element to be sure. However, the real strength in our view is the environment that exists here that is oriented towards instilling in a life long love of learning. If you want a place where your child will be educated and not just a place to drop your kid off, this is the place. All of the staff and especially the teachers are amazing. I've never heard a parent of a public school kid say that the teacher loves their kid. AT TIS, it's clear that they do every single day. The administration runs the school with honesty and positivity. The parents are involved and enthused and it truly is that "Village" that everyone dreams about, but never quite finds. In our view, you could not give your child a better gift than joining this school.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is finishing up her first year in the Chinese track at TIS and she has absolutely thrived. She has learned a ton - not just in Chinese vocabulary but in math skills, problem solving skills, social development, I could go on! I love the IB primary years program that TIS uses - it really gets the kids invested and engaged in an organic learning process. Her teacher is nurturing, communicative, available, and comes up with creative ideas for the class. I have nothing but positive comments when it comes to TIS!
—Submitted by a parent

Our experiences have been positive here in so many expected and unexpected ways. We are confident that this school is truly a gem. The school is EXCEPTIONALLY well run - great vision, compassion, flexibility and commitment to cultural, social and academic values. I can't imagine finding a more enriching community anywhere in Portland or any other city for that matter. The classrooms are very well organized and meticulously supervised. The instructional materials are engaging, diverse, complex and entertaining (it is absolutely FUN to be there) and the staff do a great job of combining song, dance, hands-on materials, traditional instructional methods, performance, field trips, and lots of community involvement and engagement of students in question asking and self-exploration. Our child has been so enriched by her experience and the compassion and skill with which her needs were identified and actively met in her small class was just amazing. Our teacher shares weekly newsletters, DAILY photo albums, fast response to emails, and ready availability for ad-hoc conversation before and after school. It is amazing how she is able to manage this all so skillfully.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter joined TIS last year in 1st grade. The teachers, including the English, Art, PE, and Music, are dedicated, enthusiastic, and intelligent. The TIS International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program is proving to be an exceptional educational experience. The depth of learning is quite amazing and it is great to see all of the classes work together to teach and guide students. Financially this is a stretch at times, but it's the best investment we've made. My daughter is very happy.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is 3 and absolutely loves his new school. The transition couldn't have been easier!
—Submitted by a parent

Language rich, dynamic teachers, global-minded and future-driven. Very welcoming to new families. Love the cross-cultural opportunities with Chines, Japanese, and Spanish tracks.
—Submitted by a parent

An excellent school. The Head of School was an inspired choice. He has reinvigorated TIS, as has its status as an IB school. The academic philosophy and curriculum are fantastic. This is my daughter's third year in the Chinese track, and she loves it. The teachers are incredibly warm and nurturing; they are always down on the child's level, greeting them with open arms from the moment they enter the classroom. They inspire them to ask their own questions and then figure out the answers themselves. It's incredible to watch--the children are thinkers, they're engaged, they're creative, they're having fun, being resourceful, learning how to uncover knowledge, and they're being joyful and playful all the while. My daughter is in Kindergarten; earlier this year, I told her I had an email from her teacher that they were going to learn this week about Vincent Van Gogh. She said, "Well, we already learned about Kandinsky!" By the time they're in the fifth grade, they're fluent in their track language, and picking up a third language in after-school programs, if they wish. Fifth-year trip to China, Japan or a Spanish-speaking country. It's incredible. We couldn't be happier.
—Submitted by a parent

We were initially drawn to TIS by the Spanish immersion and the small class size. Although we appreciate both of those aspects, I am amazed by the quality of the English, Music, Art and PE instruction. We have been very impressed with the International Baccalaureate program and the way in which learning is addressed on multiple levels. We see the Principal and the Head of School every day and it feels like everyone at the school is looking out for all the children. It is a stretch for us financially at times, but I can not think of anything more important to spend our money on.
—Submitted by a parent

I believe that the current headmaster and president of the board have set it on a course to be one of the finest multi-lingual, immersion, Pre-K through 5th schools in the country.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter started in the Japanese track one year ago. With no previous exposure to the language and no native speaker at home, we were curious to see how she would do. Her experience at The International School has been phenomenal. She speaks Japanese fluidly, speaking to her teachers, her classmates and even their parents only in Japanese. She is excited to go to school each day and comes home excited to tell us about things she has made and the things she has learned. The spirit of inquiry and intellectual curiosity that is natural at her age is encouraged and nurtured by her teachers and the curriculum.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son has been here for 4 years now and is finishing 1st grade. I love the school, but far more important is the fact that our son loves the school.
—Submitted by a parent

I moved here for this school. I was living in Eastern Washington for the last 9 years and was extremely disappointed with the schools. After a lot of research and traveling to several cities, I chose The International School for my for children and it has not disappointed me. Not only are my children getting and amazing education in science, English, Art, and Math...but they are doing it while learning another language and culture. I never thought I could love a school as much as I love TIS. My children are supported emotionally as well as academically. They are driven to succeed and above all, they are accepted as individuals. The staff knows them by name and welcomes them daily. They love to go to school and they love to learn. Is there anything in the world better than that?
—Submitted by a parent

My child started Kindergarten at The International School this past fall. The transition from preschool to TIS has been incredibly smooth. There is nothing better than to have your child say they love school, she loves the learning process that TIS offers. They are teaching her how to be a problem solver, a world thinker and in an enviroment that feels safe and excepted. It has been a wonderful experience for our child and for us. I would recommend TIS to anyone who wants language to be a priority in thier childs education.
—Submitted by a parent

We have been at TIS for 6 years and my heart will break when the time comes for us to leave. It has really offered us two distinct benefits - small classes and full immersion. Class sizes cap at 19 but my older son has 14 in his class and my younger son has 12. As for the full immersion aspect, TIS does teach gym, art, English and music in English but the rest is all Japanese, Chinese or Spanish. I think that my older son was fully fluent by third grade, my younger son, in 2nd this year, still has a way to go. Private schools cost money, but I believe TIS is the middle of the pack for Portland. Fundraising is an issue at all schools, public and private. I don't like it either but I don't think it's going to go away at our next school.
—Submitted by a parent

My child attended for 1 year, and did learn some of the language, but the school seemed overly focused on fundraising on top of the astronomical tuition rate. In addition, I found that off campus field trips for 3 year old children are not very productive, and a bit of a safety risk since the children are so young.
—Submitted by a parent

Great faculty and bringing in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program in the next few years. I have had two children attend and they love the faculty!
—Submitted by a parent

TIS is a great place! It's as diverse as it gets in Portland. The teachers in Spanish preschool are very nurturing. We are very happy with the family feel of the class. The schedule was an adjustment for both parents working full time, but we are managing fine. It's an urban school and the location is perfect. Some parents bike to school with their kids in tow :)
—Submitted by a parent

Have a daughter graduating this year and son with 2 years left. They've had exceptional, caring and very nurturing teachers, excellent parental involvement, and classmates who are very accepting. Both our children have gained self-confidence, learned social skills, and academically surpassed our expectations. As at any school, TIS has their negatives like parking issues, unfavorable location, but overall is an excellent choice for those who can look beyond what's on the outside..
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 kids at The Int'l School Spanish program. What a great place! Because they learn all their subjects in Spanish, they become fluent first. In 1st grade, my daughter was already writing little compositions in Spanish. By 2nd & 3rd grade my son was doing science projects, book reports, and social studies presentations - all in Spanish. The teachers are from all over the world, so the kids learn Hispanic culture and feel the influence from China & Japan. The students are from all over Portland - diversity is the norm for my children. Some of the comments here are old - the school has done a lot in the past few years. New building, full time principal, all new student desks/chairs/tables, many extracurriculars, new English teachers, new head of school starting this summer.
—Submitted by a parent