Canadian International School campus
The Canadian International School, which has had a strong presence in Singapore since 1990, opened its new Lakeside campus last week. The sprawling campus can accommodate 3300 students, ranging from ages 3 to 18, and has a two storey library, a 500 seat auditorium, a junior competition sized soccer pitch, seven science labs and an Olympic length pool.
CIS Lakeside comprises an elementary school, a middle school and a high school and offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Its student body is made up of a diverse range of students from over 60 countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Korea, India and the United States, with no nationality comprising more than 12% of the total.
“The fact that we have students from over 60 countries ensures an attitude of global understanding – all of our students assimilate well upon arrival,” said Dr Glenn Odland, the Head of School of Canadian International School. “Many of our students are of Asian heritage, but many have lived outside Asia so they come to us with a very global outlook. There is a buddy programme for all new students upon their arrival at CIS. This buddy system helps students to settle into their new school and enjoy school life almost immediately,” he continued.
To help Asian students feel more at home at CIS, the school also celebrates many Asian festivals annually. For example, during Chinese New Year, the school is decked out with a festive theme and students are taught about Calligraphy and other aspects of Chinese culture. They are also treated to a traditional lion dance performance and interesting presentations on Chinese society and culture.
The school also celebrates a Uniting Nations Week each year, where students are encouraged to showcase their own culture and traditions and learn about those of their peers. During the week-long celebration, the school hosts various activities like the Parade of Nations, where students march with their country’s flag, a food festival where parents bring food from their home country, as well as arts performances from
around the world.
Additional info about CIS
Credits to Dr Glenn Odland, Head of School, Canadian International School
What brought about the new CIS campus?
CIS Lakeside is a product of the desire to provide a state-of-the-art campus for our students – one that was at the forefront of educational design. The Canadian International School has long been known for its rigorous academic programme.
Moving to Lakeside has provided our students with a campus that will fully support all of our programmes and will also encourage multiple opportunities for leadership and community enrichment – such as our high school students reading with kindergarten students, school wide cultural events, etc.
How many students does the current CIS campus currently have?
We currently have approximately 1800 students at Lakeside. This number will grow to about 2,100 when our new academic year begins in August 2012.
What’s the ratio of your student’s nationalities?
CIS is a true international school and we celebrate our diversity. Our top nationalities are Canadian, American, British, Australian, Indian, Korean and Japanese. No nationality exceeds 12%. We also have a very large European community and students from the South East Asia region.
What does Canadian International School offer that other international schools in Singapore don’t?
In addition to being truly multicultural and having an outstanding academic programme, the Canadian International School is well known for its amazingly warm and welcoming school culture – students here thrive in a culture that encourages both respect and success.
The Lakeside campus has been designed to honor this heritage with the innovative schools-within-a-school design. Kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school divisions have their own school space in a much larger campus. Each school section contains classrooms, pods, play and recreational areas, and student communal areas, ensuring dedicated spaces for students of each section.
Are there any initiatives that have been implemented to help Asian students feel more comfortable in an international environment?
The fact that we have students from over 60 countries ensures an attitude of global understanding – all of our students assimilate well upon arrival. Many of our students are of Asian heritage, but they have often lived outside Asia so come to us with a very global outlook. There is a buddy programme for all new students upon arrival at CIS. This buddy system helps students to settle into their new school and enjoy school life almost immediately.
An excellent language learner’s programme is in place for students (up to Grade 7) who are non-English language speakers. This programme supports students as they learn the English language and allows them to transition into an international setting.
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