For over 30 years, the International School of Portland (ISP) has provided a warm, multicultural environment where children are fully immersed in Spanish, Japanese or Chinese from preschool through 5th grade.
Its small classes and inquiry-based, International Baccalaureate curriculum enable children to acquire language and culture as they learn to pursue knowledge beyond the classroom and throughout life.
ISP is Portland's first International Baccalaureate elementary school. It was founded in 1990 and today educates approximately 400 students from age 3 through 5th grade.
For our children, a world of possibilities awaits. If we are to
send them out to explore beyond the bounds of our neighborhoods, we
must prepare them for the journey-mentally, emotionally, and
linguistically. For a child capable of learning a language and
absorbing a culture beyond their own will thrive anywhere they go.
So we've created a school where tomorrow's young explorers can be
immersed in a language and comprehend cultures unlike their
own.
Welcome to the International Schoolof Portland. For over three
decades, we've been helping to guide and prepare today's generation
of explorers for the challenges of tomorrow.
But we didn't stop there. Exploration, leadership, and
distinction require more than language proficiency. They require
skill and an inclination to think critically, make connections, and
challenge oneself to continually do better. So we chose a
curriculum and recruited teachers that help young minds do just
that.
Grades: PK-6 | 123 students3.8 miles 5235 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland, OR 97206 (503) 768-3847
3.8
PK-6
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School Reviews
5.00 out of 5(4 reviews)
53/20/2021
The teachers and the programs at TIS are incredible. The way students develop intellectually, emotionally, and socially is amazing to see. I feel like a TIS education has really provided lifelong benefits for my kids. I am already seeing this in them. TIS has been a great experience.
- Posted by Parent - TIS Parent
52/26/2020
When looking for an elementary school, we toured many schools and spoke to as many teachers as we could. My partner and I were blown away by the kids and teachers at 'Tis. Our child showed no interest in learning a language so we were concerned about our child's transition but we could not have been more pleasantly surprised with how it went. Thank you 'Tis teachers and staff we are looking forward to the next 5 years!
- Posted by Parent - parentof2
51/25/2018
My daughter has attended TIS for three years, Low-K through 1st grade in Spanish. We definitely plan to keep her there through 5th grade. The teachers and staff are all very nurturing, which is the main criterion we wanted from an early learning school. The curriculum is outstanding both the language-based and the English, and the kids also get excellent art, music and PE instruction as well. We`ve been very happy with TIS; my only complaint is that parking and driving in and out of the location can be quite challenging.
- Posted by Parent - Jake K
51/25/2018
TIS is unique in the Portland area for having 3 immersion languages and IBPYP. In fact, it is one of a handful of immersion private schools in the US to offer PYP. The teachers in the languages are all native speakers, so our child has been exposed to several different cultures and dialects and her Spanish is so authentic that native speakers are surprised to learn she lives with two non-speakers. The academics are excellent, with teachers emphasizing STEM through projects and interactive education. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion is important, although limited by Portland demographics, and the Learner Profiles and teachers emphasize cultural diversity through the units of inquiry, field trips, guest speakers and homework assignments. As an institution TIS impresses me most with its commitment to visibility and communication with parents. When a new situation or problem arises, the administration does not ignore it or pretend to have all the answers; they acknowledge the issue, gather community input, and formulate a plan that can accommodate the faculty, families and community while remaining true to the schools' values.
- Posted by Parent - labmom
Endorse International School of Portland. Endorsements should be a few sentences in length. Please include any comments on:
Quality of academic programs, teachers, and facilities
Availability of music, art, sports and other extracurricular activities
With so much uncertainty in the world today and a pandemic further confounding our lives, it's reasonable for parents to want to protect their children whenever and wherever possible? But overprotecting or bubble-wrapping? Well, that's another matter.
The average private school tuition in Portland, OR is $10,822 for elementary schools and $14,527 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
